Fox Hunt
by dave-d
Summary: What is going on? Why do all of the girls that Naruto knows want him to father their children? The answer: kitsune. STORY MODIFIED 12 28 2005.
1. one

Blossoms hung heavily on the trees throughout the village.

The air was fresh and crisp, carrying fragrant petals as it swirled and danced between the larger buildings.

People on the streets hurried about their business, enjoying the promise of a beautiful day. Konoha was prospering. Its population was flourishing after the ravages of the past. There was reason for everyone to feel hopeful.

"It's good to be back home," Naruto said to himself. "I doubt that Akatsuki is going to try anything _here." _

Now that the three years were close to coming to an end, he had begun feeling more anxious than before. Not just for himself, but also for Sasuke. He had no idea why the Nine wanted him, other than the fact that they were interested in Kyuubi. He knew quite well what Orochimaru wanted from his former teammate.

Naruto strode down the street, his garish orange and black jumpsuit standing out amongst the more somber colors of civilians and shinobi alike. Sure, he was different. In some ways, that had plagued him all his life. But, he wasn't going to try and be like everyone else. That would mean they won and he lost. Not only that, there was no guarantee that any of the older villagers would see him in a better light.

"You'd think they might at least be a little more friendly," he griped, seeing some of the looks he got. "I spent all that time alone with Ero-sennin. Isn't _that _punishment enough?"

He had almost forgotten what it was like to be hated for the demon sealed behind his navel. No one had known in the other villages had known that secret. If anyone looked at him funny in those other places, it was because he was associated with the Frog hermit, who many of them new all too well.

Somewhat lost in his thoughts, the young ninja failed to realize that he was being followed. What's more, he didn't realize just what it meant, his having a shy and quiet shadow. Not only did he have friends who had been glad to see him again, there was someone in particular who felt much stronger than that.

It had taken a few days for Hyuuga Hinata work up her courage, but she had finally decided to speak with him. He had been gone for a number of years, and a _lot_ had happened since then. She had run across him speaking with Kiba and Shino, but had come close to passing out. She had been caught off guard, unprepared to see him yet. Now, she was pretty certain she wouldn't collapse again.

As she watched, Naruto walked into the largest and oldest of Hidden Leaf villages Ramen shops. That was by no means a surprise. Years ago, when she used to follow him around town, he made it a point to stop at places like that, alone or with Umuino Iruka. She had never been brave enough to follow after him. Today that was going to change. Or, so she hoped.

"I can do this…" Hinata rubbed her fingers together. She would settle for a small victory. Saying 'Hello Naruto-kun' unprompted, and without keeling over, would be a big first move for her. It wasn't as if she was just going to walk up to him and be all forward or something. One thing at a time. She could work on her courage one step at time. No one else had ever shown any interest in him.

A flash of pink caught her eye. It was Sakura! What was she doing, going in there after Naruto. She never frequented shops like that one. Hinata willed herself to be calm. Why should she worry about Sakura? Back when Naruto used to make efforts to win her attention, she hadn't wanted anything to do with him. No doubt Team Kakashi had practice scheduled, or some kind of mission had come up.

"Be at peace…" Hinata swallowed hard, standing at the door to the shop. All she had to do was reach out, grab the handle, and pull. Before she could do that, the door swung open, almost hitting her in the face. She quickly stepped out of the way. The patrons were all leaving in a headlong rush. It was like a stampede.

Was there a fire? Had someone gone crazy? No. Everyone seemed to be smiling. Each of them seemed to be clutching gold coins in his or her hands. When the crowd passed by her, Hinata caught sight of Sakura again. She was hanging all over Naruto.

"**Here!" **Sakura slammed a bag down on the bar in front of the store owner. The bag jingled, as if it were full of coins. "_This_ should buy me the private use of this place for the rest of the day." She tuned to wrap her arms around her startled teammate's neck. Now we can be alone, handsome boy." Her hands began rubbing here and there. All the noodles you could possible eat… all the drinks you could ever drink… and me."

"Sakura-chan, what's going on?" Naruto tried to pry Sakura off of him with little success. He didn't notice Hinata, who was standing outside the front door, peeing in through a crack.

Hinata, for her part, stood as stiff as a statue. She was the last person to ever eavesdrop; but, she just had to know how things stood between Naruto and Sakura. Her heart fluttered like the wings of a captured bird.

"You're acting really funny," Naruto said, his eyes going wide when Sakura touched him in a private place.

"_Oh?" _Sakura smiled, her eyes narrowing to slits. She smiled as she made a show of pulling her buttons off of her blouse one by one, putting them in the hand of a slack-jawed boy. "So tell me…" She pulled her shirt open. "…Do you find _these_ amusing?"

"**Gah!" **Naruto couldn't help but stair at Sakura's chest. "But…"

"I'll show you _that_, too." Sakura licked her lips. "I find brassieres to be so confining. Mind if I take this off?"

"Is this some kind of joke, Sakura-chan?" Naruto's mind was abuzz. While he had fantasized about moments like this, things just didn't seem right. "Did the guys put you up to this?" For a moment, he wondered if this was a Sakura impersonator. But, using a quick jutsu, he found it wasn't a common _Henge_ or something. And, there was no way that anyone could look that much like Sakura, except for the girl herself.

"It's funny that it took me so long to admit my feelings for you," Sakura murmured, bending over to nibble on Naruto's neck. She tightened her arms when he tried to push her away. "So strong…" She moaned softly. "Such a strong and handsome lad. Why don't you show me how strong…" She blew in his ear and hissed "_Ple-e-e-e-e-e-a-s-e_…"

Sakura moved her fingers deftly. Her skirt fell to the floor. With a quick series of movements, she removed her blouse and tossed it over her shoulder, sending it to hang from the door handle.

"You… you've…" Naruto stood transfixed. "You've gotten a lot like Granny Tsunade." He hadn't thought that his teammate's breasts had grown that much.

"Really?" Sakura unhooked her bra and slid out of it. She then began working on her panties. They were pink. "_Mmmm-mmm-mm-m_… you can call out her name, if you like…" She stood naked before him. "I won't mind…" She reached out, tugging on Naruto's zipper.

"Hey… wait…" Naruto turned to look at the shopkeeper for help, but the man had left and dropped down the wooden cover over his order window. "What… is… going… on…" He was far more anxious than turned on.

"You on me," Sakura said, laughing a bell-like laugh. "Or me on you…" She kissed him, causing his body to go ramrod stiff. "Any… way… you… _want_… it…"

"But… that… you…" Naruto let his legs go limp, falling straight down out of her grip. "This…" He had to get out of there. Maybe Tsunade or Kakashi would have some kind of answer.

Hinata had been so shocked, that she had gone weak in the knees and fallen hard to the ground. She didn't notice the people stopping to look at her.

"All I want you to do is love me," Sakura said, an odd glow in her eyes. "Love me fast, or love me slow. However you want." She began stalking him as if she were a wild animal. "I need you _in_ me…"

Naruto made it to the door, opened it, and stepped out into the street. He caught sight of Hinata's retreating form.

"Aren't you hungry, beautiful boy?" Sakura stood in the open door, still naked as the day she was born.

Naruto flashed from view.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The noise in the restaurant was loud.

For most of the patrons, it was difficult to hold a conversation. But, despite that it was the place to be for the young and hip civilian, or for shinobi looking to blow off a little steam.

It was also the place that the kunoichi had chosen to hold their monthly get together. Genin, chuunin, and jounin-level women all stuck together, with some of them choosing to mingle with the townspeople.

Large platters of food were being carried about by busy waiters. The dance floor was crowded, and the bar was packed. The large front door opened frequently, the sudden gust of wind causing huge tapers and candles to dance. The ambience of the place was something special, to say the least.

Seated at a large table, Kurenai spoke to a distraught Hinata. "Here, let me feel your forehead." She put her hand on her pupil's head. "No, you don't have a fever. Have you been feeling OK lately?"

"Y-Y-Yes, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata couldn't meet her mentor's eyes. "I _know_ what I saw…"

"I can't believe that Sakura would ever act _that_ way," the older woman said, shaking her head. "Especially not with Naruto." She ran her hand over the younger woman's head, to make certain their was no sign of trauma. "That just doesn't sound like her. Wait. There she is. We can ask her."

"Hey guys!" Sakura was the next of the girls to arrive. "Is there something wrong?" She was startled at the way her two friends were looking at her. "Do I have something on my face? This outfit doesn't make me look fat or something, does it?"

In a stuttering and halting manner, Hinata repeated what she had seen.

"**WHAT!**"

Even in that noisy place, the medical ninja's shout had people turning to look in her direction.

"**HINATA! WHY WOULD YOU MAKE UP SUCH A STORY!**"

"I… I _didn't_…." Hinata shrank back into her chair.

"Hey, look, it's that girl." One man tugged roughly on his friends shoulder, pointing over at Sakura. "I wonder if she has more gold?" People began gathering around, pressing close, eager looks on their faces.

"But…" Sakura's face went blank. "How…" Her mouth fell open. None of it made any sense to her.

Before Kurenai or Hinata could speak again, Ten Ten walked up. "You will _never_ believe what I saw today," she said in a rush. "I still don't believe it myself. I bet Ino doesn't show up tonight." She sounded breathless, as if she had too say things quickly or find the world change back to normal right before her eyes. "Not with what she seemed to have in mind for Naruto!"

"What happened?" Sakura asked a little too loudly, glad to have the subject change. Nevertheless, she felt a sense of indignation rising, a vestige of her days of fighting with Ino over Sasuke.

"I finished my training with Neji…." Ten Ten started.

"_Training?" _Sakura asked, raising one eyebrow. She knew that Ten ten and Neji had begun seeing one another in a dating kind of way.

"**Training!**" Ten Ten said, scowling at her friend. "When he left, I walked around the woods collecting my kunai and sickles. Pushing aside some bushes, I saw the two of them."

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata's asked, rubbing her fingers together faster and faster.

"Yes," Ten Ten said. "He had obviously been training by himself. I would have expected him to be working out with his teammate," Ten Ten looked at Sakura with a question on her face. The pink-haired shinobi shook her fist at Hinata and Kureani, daring them to say anything. "Any way, Ino walked up, without any sign of Shikamaru or Choji. She didn't even have any of her genin with her."

"Do you think she was specifically looking for Naruto?" Kurenai asked. "She never seemed all that warm towards him before. Maybe she wants to get to know him better, now that you guys aren't children any longer, and need to relay on each other more and more.."

"I would say that she wants to get to _know_ him, alright," Ten Ten said, shaking her head in disbelief. "In a very adult way!" Ten Ten looked around the room, making certain Ino was nowhere to be seen. Satisfied, she continued with her story.

Ino had greeted Naruto, asking if he were alone. When he said that he was, she challenged him to a contest. Being who he was, there was no way that he would refuse.

"What _kind_ of contest?" Sakura asked, unwilling to believe that Ino could do anything better than her teammate. While he still acted rashly and immaturely at times, Naruto had grown by leaps and bounds while training with the Frog hermit.

"Jutsu," Ten Ten said, as if anyone should have been able to guess. "What else?" She adjusted one of her hair buns. "Taijutsu. Ninjutsu. Genjutsu." She stopped her story when a waiter walked up.

"So, what was so startling?" Kurenai asked after the girls gave their orders to the waiter

"The wager was," Ten Ten replied. "Ino tricked him big time." She actually blushed. "If she won a pass, she wanted praise. If he won, he wanted acknowledgement. When they both agreed to those generalities, Ino made him promise on his honor… and on his goal of being Hokage… not to quit the contest before sundown. She also asked if he was brave enough to accept without knowing her choice of specific rewards."

"Of course the idiot accepted," Sakura said, hand on her forehead. She didn't need to be told that part. She was certain that her guess was accurate.

"Yes," Ten Ten said.

"What did Ino want?" Hinata was not certain that she really wanted to know.

"For praise, she wanted a kiss. On the lips." Ten Ten watched as Hinata's face grew pink. "As acknowledgement, she would take off a piece of clothing." She saw her white-eyed friend knock over her water glass.

"**OOO-OO-OH_… _INO PIG…**"

Sakura's hands turned into fists. She didn't know quite what to feel. Should she be angry that Ino had wanted to take advantage of Naruto? Or, should she be furious with him if he turned out to be a pervert?

Kurenai started chuckling. When she saw the other girls looking at her, she put on a straight face and asked Ten Ten what happened after that.

"Naruto is really quite remarkable," the girl answered, fixing one of her hair buns. "As good as Neji is, I don't think that he could win a fight against _him." _She shook her head. "But Ino was the biggest surprise. I didn't know she was _that _skilled. I wonder who taught her all of her techniques."

"_What _techniques?" Sakura asked, unwilling to believe that Ino was exceptional in any way.

"Her talent with illusions has really improved. Her _Henge_ seemed so lifelike. I could swear she had multiple tails. And she showed a control of fire that was delicate and precise. Her chakra control might even be better than yours, Sakura's" Ten Ten shrugged, impervious to the storm brewing on her pink-haired friend's face.

Ten Ten went on to describe the competition in detail. One thing was obvious. Ino mad it a point to win one round, then lose the next, win again, and then lose. Naruto had tried not to watch her disrobe. But, she did it ins such a seductive fashion, he couldn't help himself. He had intended the kisses to be mere pecks on the cheek, but Ino gave him little chance to come up for air.

"Oh m-m-my…" Hinata looked cross-eyed.

"As the sun was just about to set, Ino was completely naked," Ten Ten reported. "She asked Naruto if family was important to him. Hearing that he never really had a family, she asked if he wanted to start one… right there and then!"

The glass in Sakura's hand shattered. Hinata began choking on the roll she had bitten into.

"What happened next?" Kurenai looked entranced. This was all better than anything on TV.

"Well… I sneezed…" Ten Ten said. "When Ino turned to look in my direction, Naruto ran off saying he needed to collect all of the spent weapons before it got too dark." She swallowed hard. "I'll never forget the look Ino gave me. It was as if she wanted me dead!"

"Who wanted you dead?" A voice asked. It was Ino. Everyone was so caught up in Ten Ten's story, that no one had noticed her walk over to the table.

The girls all sat speechless. Ten Ten looked uneasy. Hinata hid behind her menu. Sakura began bending the knife she was using to butter a biscuit. Kurenai raised one eyebrow, taking it all in.

"Hey, girls!" Ino said in her chipper way. Noticing everyone's response, she asked "What's wrong?"

"**S-L-U-T-!**"

Sakura tossed her hair. "How could you dothat to Naruto?"

"I wasn't… I wasn't really spying…" Ten Ten put in. "I just happened to be there."

"Naruto-kun…." Hinata's voice was masked by the crowd noise.

When Kurenai repeated what Ten Ten had told them, Ino turned as white as a sheet. "It wasn't me!" Ino went completely pale. "It must have been someone who tried to look like me. I swear."

"Sure," Sakura said, narrowing her eyes. She snapped her fingers. "Ino was probably the one you saw at the noodle shop, Hinata. She was probably pretending to be me."

"But…" Hinata put a hand to her forehead. This was really getting to be quite much. "If someone could pretend to be you… why couldn't someone pretend to be her…"

"Or someone else," Kurenai said.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The darkening clouds moved by slowly.

They looked so peaceful, painted by the early evening sun. There was good reason. Their very existence was idyllic.

Being alive certainly had its perks. But, much of the time, it was merely _bothersome. _Ever since he had become a chuunin, things became more and more annoying.

But, at least he wasn't married yet. He didn't know how his father could put up with his mother at times. True, not all women were like _that_. But, even the interesting ones like Temari could be a royal pain in the ass. There were few girls who truly refrained from making waves.

Looking back down at the street, keeping an eye out for any sign of Choji, Shikamaru caught sight of one of one of those rare girls. It was Hinata. She was waving and shouting. Running too. What could possibly get her to act like that?

Naruto, of course. Then again, she usually acted shy around him, often coming very close to passing out. Against his better judgment, he found himself curious. Sdcanning the busy street below him, having a great vantage point from his sunning spot on the roof, he easy picked out the boy in an orange and black jumpsuit making his way through the crowd, even though the sun was in the process of setting.

His boisterous and hyperactive friend stopped outside of an adult bookstore, captivated by something he saw. The shop owner must have caught sight of his, since the outdoor lights lit up. Shikamaru was certain that the Hyuuga girl would not follow him there. Leaning over the edge of the edifice, he wind milled his arms when he lost his balance. Hinata's shout caught him entirely off guard.

"**NARUTO-KUN… OHHH-HH-H ****NARUTO-KUN…"**

Hinata's voice carried across the great avenue. Shikamaru was not the only one who looked somewhat taken aback. He sighed. This might indeed be worth watching. Anything out of the ordinary could provide him with important information. It was not gossip. Girls gossip. Guys collect data.

"Oh." Naruto jerked, as if he had been caught doing something wrong. "Uhhh-hh-h… Hinata… I was just stopping here to tie my shoes…" Naruto grimaced. He had put on his sandals that morning. "Well… I saw you running earlier…I don't know what came over Sakura." He rubbed his nose. "Ino was acting very strange too. I'm glad to see **_you, _**though. You're someone I can trust to behave normally."

Hinata licked her lips and sauntered over to Naruto. "Hmmm-mm-m…… you like those kind of magazines, _do_ you?" She narrowed her eyes, sucked in her breath, and threw her chest out.

Behind Shikamaru, more familiar faces arrived. It was Kiba and Shino. They had seen their friend up on the roof.

"Yo, Shikamaru! How's it hanging?" Kiba waved, moments before Akamaru barked his greetings.

"Shhhh-hhh-hh-h… be quiet," Shikamaru said. Then looking at Shino he said "Sorry. Look over there." He pointed towards Hinata.

"I thought Hinata was meeting Kurenai and some of the girls for supper," Shino said.

Akamaru sniffed, and then shook his head, a strange look on his furry face.

"She's actually talking to Naruto!" Kiba chuckled. "I n_ever_ thought that she'd find the courage. I bet you a week's dinner that she turns and runs away in the next five minutes."

"No bet," Shino answered, feeling somewhat loquacious.

"Uhhh-hh-h… do you have a back ache, Hinata…" Naruto began feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. It couldn't happen again… not with Hinata… could it?

"If I _did_, would you rub it for me?" Hinata unzipped her coat. She wasn't wearing anything underneath. "Hot oil feels really good. You do me… I'll do you… then we can do it…" She smiled, following Naruto's eyes. He was looking where she had hoped he would. "If some of those books might get you in the mood, I'll buy you as many as it takes. I can be _very_ generous. I always reward those who show me kindness."

"Whoa!" Naruto brought his hands up. He quickly put them behind his back when he realized they had ended up at breast level by accident. "Have you been drinking or something? Did something hit you on the head?"

"_Mmmm-mm-m…_ no…" Hinata took a deep breath and held it. She smiled a wicked little smile when she saw Naruto's eyes go impossibly wide. "But, if drinking gets you in the mood, count me in. And if you want to hit me… well… aren't _you_ a naughty boy." The wink she gave him almost had him falling to his knees. "Just the way I like them…"

Naruto put his hand to his head, his mind suddenly feeling clouded. It was almost like someone was trying to do his thinking for him. There was a brief flush of Kyuubi chakra, and he felt better. At the same time, Hinata reached her hands out and stroked his belly.

Shikamaru scowled, thought a moment, and then brought his hands together. He worked a jutsu to break genjutsu. But, there was no illusion. Hinata was still standing there.

"What's going on!" Kiba's face looked incredulous. "I wonder if Ino is doing her jutsu as a trick again." She looked down at Akamaru who shook his head, looking confused. He was perplexed too. What he saw and what he smelled did not jibe. "If not, I want to find out what Naruto ate for breakfast. Whatever it was… if it works on Hinata, it should work on other girls…" He chuckled, still not believing his eyes.

"Pehaps it is pheromones," Shino offered. Those worked with insects and dogs.

"Nah!" Kiba said laughing. "That kind of thing would _never _work!"

"Let me listen," Shikamaru said. "I want to see if anything Hinata says gives us a clue."

"I've _always_ envied your ability to trick people, beautiful boy." Hinata ran her hand through her hair, giving Naruto another view of her cleavage. "Maybe you can teach _me_ to turn tricks. I love physical sensations. They make me _so_ enraptured, wanting to experience more and more."

Naruto backed against a lamp post. Trapped, he began sweating when Hinata checked to see if he was ticklish.

"I know you'll end up being Hokage someday," Hinata said, blowing in Naruto's ear. "But, it would do the village great good to know who might follow you. Maybe we should go back to your place and make the _Seventh_ Hokage…."

"Kiba. Send Akamaru out. Let's see if he can discover something." Shikamaru

"Look, Hinata… Akamaru…" Naruto pointed. When Hinata turned to look, he squirmed away and took off running. He need not have bothered. Hinata flashed up to the nearest roof top, then began jumping from building to building.

Soon, she was gone.

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Water ran in strong torrents under the arched and ornate old bridge.

The three shinobi perched on the railing paid little attention to the soothing sound the water made as its ran over the countless flat stones, or washed against the larger slabs of rock the village sat on.

"It's _really_ freaky," Naruto said to Lee and Neji, who were flanking him. "You know, we've probably _all_ had dreams like that…." He scratched his head, looking at his straight-laced friends. "Uhhh-hh-h… maybe not _all _of us…"

"**Ohhhh-hhh-hh-h**…that does _not_ sound like any of the kunoichi!" Lee tightened his hands, eyebrows tilting downward. "Sakura-chan would _never_ act that way!"

"Are you sure you were not fantasizing?" Neji asked. "My cousin would never behave in that fashion, either. Did you try to see if someone was using Genjutsu?"

"I really didn't have time," Naruto said, feeling somewhat stupid. "They had their hands all over me… and… well… I was kind of distracted…"

"**Ahhhh-hhh-hh-h**… that sounds like a dream, alright…" Lee struck a sitting pose. "Gai-sensei has told me to avoid such dreams, as they can strip a warrior of his strength and will. He says it is much too easy for a foolish man to be distracted." He smiled. Light from one of the nearby streetlights reflected off of his teeth. "I cannot believe that any of the girls we know would ever behave in that manner!"

"Hey guys!" It was Ten Ten, walking alone. For some reason, her gait was off. She was showing a lot of hip action.

Neji nodded. Lee smiled. They had not seen their training partner that day. Neji gave her a subtle signal, but frowned when she did not return it.

Ten Ten stood directly in front of Naruto. Without warning, she pushed with incredible strength, knocking Neji and Lee off into the rushing water. "Some boys are in too big a rush to get wet," she said, sitting on the rail and sliding along it to bump up against Naruto. "Know what I mean?" She smiled. It almost sounded like she was purring. "I like a patient guy. And there's nothing like a male with stamina. You practice hard, _don't_ you Naruto." She nipped his ear, almost sending a twitching Naruto over the railing.

"**You too!**" Naruto blurted out. He pinched himself. Lee and Neji were wrong. He certainly wasn't dreaming. He shook his head again, feeling dizzy for a moment. It was that strange feeling again.

"I practice long and hard, too." Ten Ten said, her voice smooth as the finest silk. "I like the feel of sweat all over my body." She ran a finger along Naruto's leg, causing him to shiver. "There's a _lot_ I can teach you. I promise you will be satisfied with what you learn. And, I _always_ keep my promises, just as I always pay back those who break their promises to me." She actually licked the side of Naruto's neck, laughing at the wild look in his eyes.

Naruto wanted to get up and hot foot it out of there. Thinks were getting stranger and stranger. But, he found himself transfixed by Ten ten's gaze, even though it was getting harder to see her eyes as the darkness fell more quickly.

"There's something I'd like you to swear," Ten Ten said. The things she whispered into his ear had him turning beet red. "I'm not the jealous type. After I show you how, you can show the _other_ girls…."

Naruto tried to stand, but Ten Ten had placed one of her legs over his. "The river makes a deep pool right around the bend there," she said. "Want to go skinny dipping?"

Performing _Kage Bunshin_, Naruto managed to get free when his shadow clones pulled Ten Ten off of him.

It was time to see Tsunade.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The street was very wide in that part of the village.

Tall streetlights illuminated the sidewalks running in front of the stone and wood buildings of the business district, but left a strip of darkness running down the center of the avenue.

Naruto moved quickly, darting from point to point, staying out of the light, stopping now and then to check his surroundings. He was very much on edge and on the look out for any more possible ambushes.

Kurenai had jumped him in one alleyway. Chasing after him, she had thrown off her clothing one piece at a time, begging him to stop. Anko had been lurking just inside of the door to his dormitory building. She had pulled him down on a couch and moved against him in ways that almost took away his will to resist. In the flickering glow of the dying foyer light, her hair had actually looked red for a few moments. It must have been a figment of his imagination. Sitting on top of a bed and mattress shop, Yugao had giggled, asking if he wanted to find out if her hair was purple everywhere. She had taken off an ANBU fox mask first. A naked Shizune had asked if he wanted to play Doctor.

There still was no sign of Tsunade. She wasn't at her administrative office. The medical center personnel did not expect her that evening. No one had seen her at the watering holes and eateries she frequented. He had asked a lot of people in a lot of places, with no luck. luck.

Making it a point to search out Kakashi, Naruto found that his team leader had left on a sudden emergency mission. Asuma and Gai were gone as well. Iruka was nowhere top be found. He might have been on a date with Ayame.

A fair number of people were walking the streets. Most were probably on their way home for the night, but some were enjoying the night together, while others were on duty. Naruto caught sight of two familiar faces and flashed over to speak with them. "Oi! Shikamaru. Choji." He slid to a halt in front of his friends. He hoped that they weren't kunoichi in disguise.

"Naruto," Shikamaru sighed. "This has been a rather annoying night."

"Tell me about it!" Naruto said. "You wouldn't believe what's been happening to me." He looked around warily, wanting to make certain that his shout hadn't attracted the attention of the female persuasion.

"Shikamaru… (munch munch)… told me about Hinata… (crunch)… and what she did with you…(rip rustle munch munch)…" Choji held a fresh bag out to Naruto. When his friend declined, he pulled out chip after chip in rapid succession. "He doesn't think that it was her."

"He's probably right," Naruto said. "I bet Hinata usually wears a bra!" He blushed, remembering something personal. Part of him had stood at attention when he stared at the girl. Did Hinata _actually_ look like that, if someone was copying her appearance? Shaking his head, to tried to focus on the matter at hand. He went on to describe his encounters with the other girls.

"That makes this even _more_ troublesome," Shikamaru said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking up at the moon. "I have been looking all over for the Hokage, to report what I saw. However, tonight must be one of the few nights per month that she makes house calls."

"Ino was supposed to be eating dinner with her friends tonight," Choji said, chip fragments covering the front of his voluminous vest. "We _could_ go to the restaurant and see what they know." His eyes narrowed and he smiled a wide smile. He could use another dinner.

"That would notbe advisable at the moment," Shikamaru said. "I know why you wish to go there, Choji. But we've already eaten tonight. Twice." He waved one hand, speaking logically. "If they are involved in something strange, they likely would not tell us. If they are not… and Naruto challenges them with those stories…" He didn't need to finish that thought.

Naruto swallowed hard. He'd rather take his chances with the near-naked or nude versions.

"Oi. Naruto. _There_ you are!" It was Iruka.

"Iruka! Were you looking for me?" Naruto felt somewhat safer, with a number of friends around.

"Yes," Iruka said. "Someone told me that you were looking for the Fifth. I saw her strolling through one of the garden areas towards the center of the village, just a few minutes ago."

"**Great!" **Naruto gave his mentor a 'V' sign. **"**I need to catch up with her before she disappears again!" Naruto pumped his arms. Finally, things were looking up. Old Lady Tsuande would know what to do.

"That will absolve my responsibility, then." Shikamaru said, nodding his head. "I'm heading home. Good luck." He and Choji left, and Iruka hurried off on his own errands.

Naruto ran all of the way to the Gardens. Strangely enough, some of the lights there were out. He saw a dark form crossing his path far down the way, but had no idea who it might be. There was any number of places that any number of people could be. He needed to call attention to himself.

"**HEY… GRANNY TSUNADE… EVERYONE'S LOOKING FOR YOU…**"

Tsunade might try to avoid him if she thought that he was the only one needing her attention. No doubt she would be tired if she had stayed out this late, healing those who were home bound. He repeated his call a number of times. Did she think he was calling out on a lark? Was his history of pulling pranks catching up with him?

There was a rustling in one of the tall ornate hedges. "Over _here!" _A voice called. "What did you want of me?"

Naruto recognized the voice. It was the Hokage. When he caught sight of her, she motioned for him to follow her. Pointing to a bench in one of the darker areas, she walked to it and sat down.

"Old Lady!" Naruro hurried to report. "Some _really_ strange stuff had been going on!"

"Oh?" The Hokage stretched and yawned. "Well, tell me about it then. I'm all ears." She yawned again. "But, don't take _too_ long. I'm for bed soon."

Naruto reported everything that happened to him.

"Well, you have been quite the charmer, _haven't_ you. I'm surprised that you didn't take any of them up on their offers. I'd think it would be a dream come true." Her voice was melodius, in a manner Naruto couldn't remember hearing before. It had his breath coming quicker and quicker. "You've had a tryingday. Let me make it better." She took his face on both hands and pulled it against her ample bossom. "Maybe you prefer a more mature woman. One with a great deal more…… _experience_…."

"Huh?" Naruto tried to pull away, but the Hokage was strong. "I can't breath!"

"Hmmm-mm-m… sorry…" Tsunade said. _"_Maybe I should smother you with kisses instead. Here, come lay with me in the tall grass. I just _adore_ nature, don't you?" In the moonlight, her body looked magical as she slipped out of her medical robe. Dramatic curves were exaggerated by the silvery glow, making her look like something out of legend. "I can make it an order, if I have to."

"Or-… Or-… Order…." Naruto swallowed hard. "You can't _do_ that!" Especially since this couldn't be the real Hokage. It had to be another trick. **"No way, Granny!"**

"You'll soon be amazed by what I can do," Tsunade said. "I promise." She pirouetted, showing Naruto a naked profile that had him feeling weak in the knees. "Does this look like the body of a granny?" She put her hands on both nipples.

Naruto stumbled for a brief instant. His head felt very odd. A warmth spread slowly throughout him as his libido clamored for attention. Against his will, he took a few steps towards Tsunade, who had reclined on the soft grass.

"I'll make you mine while we're here," the faux Hokage said. "_Then, _we can find a bed and get down to serious work. Every woman wants a child. What man would make a better mate than _you?"_

"M-… M-… Mate…" Naruto fought very hard to resist. Kyuubi chakra surged through him, to no effect.

"_Mmmmm-mmm-mm-m… " _Tsunade said, holding her arms out to him. "Have you ever heard the phrase 'taking the fifth'? Well, that's what I want _you_ to do, in a manner of speaking…" A bell-like laugh echoed throughout the area. "Why fight it? You _know _you want this." A strong breeze rose up and swirled around the two of them.

Naruto's actions were completely beyond his control. One part of his body still worked on its own agenda, but that was an involuntary reaction. He couldn't stop his hands from unbuttoning his pants. Soon, they fell down around his ankles.

"N-… N-… Naruto-kun?"

Naruto jerked like a puppet on a string. That unexpected voice had given him back control for just an instant. It was Hinata.

"**_T-S-U-N-A-D-E-!_**"

Kurenai's shout of disbelief had the busty getting to her feet in rage. "Mind your own business," the ersatz Hokage said. "We don't want you here. You should hurry on your way, if you know what's best for you. Consider that an order."

Unable to move again, Naruto began sweating up a storm. His pants still lay at his feet. The tenting of his briefs couldn't be entirely hidden by the low light.

"Who are you _really?" _Kurenai asked, wishing that she had brought her weapons with her to dinner.

"The real Hokage would neverdo something like _this," _Ino stepped up next to Kurenai and Hinata.

"Naruto… you… you…." Sakura shook her head in disgust, arriving somewhat late to the scene. "You're a bigger pig than Ino!" She froze, seeing her teacher naked. Her mouth fell open.

"I… can't… help…it…." Naruto said through clenched teeth. He wondered for a moment if those were the real girls. Their actions seemed contrary to what Tsunade… or whoever that was…wanted. "I don't have control…"

Hinata let out a small sigh.

There was a very tense showdown, as the girls fanned out around the area and Tsunade raised her hands in the air. It looked as if she and Naruto had vanished. But, they hadn't. She waited silently, using her control of Naruto to keep his mouth shut.

"Sakura, you check over there. Ino, take the other side. Hinata, follow the road. I'll look in the next garden." At Kurenai's commands, the four shinobi vanished.

"Well…" Tsunade said, when she and Naruto were alone again. "I doubt that they'll bother looking _here_ again. Where were we…" She smiled, intending to rekindle Naruto's physical arousal. But, before she knew what was happening, a great tree appeared behind her. "That's a poor illusion,' the fake Hokage cried.

"_This_ isn't illusion." Kurenai grinned a fierce grin, holding a sharp blade against the other woman's neck. "Now… I have some questions…" The other ninjas joined her. They hadn't been surprised by the illusion, even though they found they couldn't break it. Somehow, Hinata had known that Naruto was still there.

For a moment, they were all in the same boat as Naruto, unable to move. The effect didn't last long, but it lasted long enough for Tsunade to disappear into the darkness.

"Damn," Kurenai muttered.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The fire crackled as the flames danced high.

Flickering orange light painted the lower part of large trees and gave an unearthly look to the faces of the woman standing around it.

By the sound of their voices, they were _very_ upset. Nothing had gone as planned. One of them had been _so_ close. To meeting her objective. Meddlesome humans had gotten in the way at the worst possible moment.

"I can't believe that we failed. We tried everything conceivable. Each one of us had spent so much time watching him and the others." One woman, her long red hair hanging down to the crest of her buttocks, stamped her pretty little foot.

"That's _right_, Shakko. We found out his likes and weaknesses. It _should_ have been easy to exploit them. He's male. And we are so very female. Oooo-oo-oh… why did he have to resist me!" The second woman wound her long blond hair around her fingers, biting her lip.

"He didn't just resist you, Koryu," a beautiful dark-haired woman said. "He resisted _all _of us. He shouldn't have been able to. If he didn't fall prey to our beauty, he should have come under the sway of our possession powers…" She sighed, shaking her head. "Maybe he likes boys…"

The others all froze at that, all except a statuesque and curvaceous woman with majestic silver hair. "No, I was able to skim his thoughts. And, I had just the response I hoped for. If a number of human females hadn't interrupted, I would have _had_ him. After that, he would have sought me out here. I would gladly have shared." She tapped long sharp nails against a small ball she held. "We don't have to leave this area for a while."

"Ahhhh-hhh-hh-h…" Shakko smiled. "With a Prime leading the way, we _have_ to be successful. Thank you, Tenko. We should all be thankful that you chose to bring us here. It will be good to enlarge the family." She looked at the others. "Koryo, Genko, and Kiko have not had any children since they gained their second tails. Kuko, Nogitsune, and myself will not be able to earn our fifth tails until we conceive again."

"I don't want to resort to the males in the Upper level of Inari's Temple. Males of our own kind are so… insipid…" Dark-haired Genko stretched, and then took out a comb and began working on her hair.

"Yes… and none of _them_ contain the Kyuubi…" A graceful woman with indigo hair purred. "What an accomplishment this would be, if we could only succeed. But I'm afraid we all came on too hard. The girls whose forms we took do _not_ act that way that we did."

"What you said is very true," Tenko said, her wise voice captivating the younger ones. "But, we are too much into the rut for any of us to be subtle. That includes me. It is our nature, and we cannot fight it."

"If a Celestial can't resist the urges, what hope do Sprit, Wind, Void, Sound, Time, or Fire have?" Kiko chewed at the ends of her indigo hair. "Maybe if we moved as a group, we could overwhelm him and keep others off of our trail."

"Ohhh-hh-h… what other choice do we have?" Genko sounded miffed, as if her failure was a mark of personal shame. "If Tenko can bewitch and possess him again, we can cover her escape. Then we can all enjoy him later at a place of our choosing." Her lustful laughter had the other women smiling. "It would be a scandal if we, the _myobu, _were to fail in this."

"You may be right," Tenko said. "At any other time of the year, we could use our superior intelligence to snare the boy. It is unseemly for us to act like we are pack animals; but, we will do what must be done."

"Yes," Koryu giggled. "Again and again and again. Until we wear him out!" Her comment had the others giggling as well. "Maybe we can add an Earth, River, Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Thunder to the family…."

"Mmmm-mmm-mm-m… maybe we can add _all_ of them," Kiko said.

"There's only one way to find out," Genko added.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The small animal noises of the forest had stopped briefly.

Now, the full chorus of night creatures had resumed their chirping, calling, and croaking. Fortunately, the ones under observation had not become suspicious.

Seven figures crouched in the darkness, their eyes on the clearing just beyond the small cluster of bushes. They had been there for hours, late into the night, waiting until things were precisely in their favor. It was only the fact that their prey's senses were blunted by a figurative hormonal fog that they hadn't been discovered yet.

They had left an anxious Naruto back in Konoha, where he sat fretting in his dormitory room. It had been difficult keeping him from sneaking off to join them on this task. But, it was best that anyone male stayed within the walls of the village. Neji and the rest were stationed inside and outside the dorm building. Jiraiya had arrived in town, and was sitting and chatting with his former pupil, taking detailed notes about his encounters.

"Anko, what do you think… the silver-haired one… _she_ is greatest among them?" Kurenai's voice was too faint for anyone but the dark-haired woman to hear.

"So it would seem," Anko said. "She is also the only one who has not done what we've hoped. It also doesn't look like _any_ of them are ready to go to sleep yet."

"If they even sleep," Kureani said, nodding her head. "I hate to resort to such measures, but we may need to resort to deadly force from the outset. The one I faced before had considerable power."

"Works for me," Anko said with a chuckle. "Naruto reported that one had taken on my form. He also told me that I look good as a red-head." She snorted. "The boy will be walking funny for the rest of the week."

"Good," Kurenai said, an edge to his voice. "He mentioned my supposed behavior too loudly, when others were listening. The rumors will be all over town. But, he moved too quickly for me to teach him a lesson." Then her voice became lighter. "His biggest mistake came when he asked Tsuande if she really had a birth mark on her… you know…"

"Hah!" Anko slapped her knee. "It's amazing that he's lived as long as he has!" She chuckled quietly. "Training with Jiraiya probably didn't help."

"Yes," Kurenai said, making a face. "Go check with Hinata. Some of the targets have moved out of our field of vision. She can use _Byakugan_ to let us know if any start to leave." She handed Anko a whistle. "If you see what we're waiting for, blow the signal. I'll do the same from here. Blow the whistle twice if it looks like they're dispersing. We'll act immediately, before too many have chance to escape."

Kurenai watched a bit longer. She gaped when one of the women took on the form of a fox with five tails. Tsunade's supposition was right on the mark. They enemy were Kitsune.

Most people thought that they were legend. But, obviously, most people were mistaken. Fortunately, the Hidden Leaf village scroll library was extensive. In addition, Hinata had also heard numerous tales from her mother, and any one of them might contain a useful grain of truth.

It was not difficult to guess why they might have been drawn to Naruto: the Nine Tailed fox demon. No doubt they felt some kind of distant kinship to the great beast. But, that explanation would not be shared with the younger woman, a number of whom still were ignorant of boy's secret.

There! Finally….

Kuenai blew on her whistle. She flashed towards the clearing at top speed, hoping that their adversaries couldn't react in time. Simultaneously, Anko, Shizune, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and Ten Ten moved as well. Before the kitsune knew what was happening, each of the Leaf shinobi stood around the fire, a small shiny ball in their hands.

"Looks like we brought just the right number," Anko said with a big grin. "Though I would have preferred a battle." She narrowed her eyes. "Which one of you… ladies… pretended to be _me_…" She twirled a wicked-looking hook knife around one finger. "I would guess the red head…"

"**Anko!" **Kurenai said sternly. "There will be none of _that." _The jounin held up the ball she had captured. "Unless they put up resistance."

"Would you do that for me? As a personal favor?" Anko licked her lips, looking at the red-haired woman. The kitsune was so unsettled, that it reverted to its fox form. The youngest members of the family group followed suit.

"Give me back my ball!" Tenko said in a jagged voice. The tone of authority in her voice was wasted on the victorious kunoichi.

"Or else _what?" _Kurenai asked. "You little plan didn't work. The Hokage told us all about kitsune. We know the ways of the fox women… and the _Hoshi-no-tama…" _The ninja spun the ball at the tip of her finger. "Keep a bit of your spirit in here? Use it to reserve some of your magic when you shape shift?"

"And you need to keep any promise you make, or suffer a deterioration in rank and power?" Sakura joined in the conversation, still seething about the smear on her reputation.

"I bet you'd promise _anything_to get your ball back, each and every one of you." Ino rolled one of the balls in her hand. She blew her breath on it, and then polished it against her chuunin vest. "Pretty…"

Tenko glowered at the shinobi. The other kitsune, in fox or maiden form, nodded their heads enthusiastically, eyes fixed on their _star-balls._

"It looks like they're _all_ eager, Kurenai." Ten Ten said. "All except the silver-haired one. She must be a Heaven fox. A Celestial. One of the Prime ones that the Hokage's scroll described."

"We may be able to work out a trade," Tenko said, her eyes sly. "You can't make us promise to transform you into kitsune… the change wouldn't stick that way… but such a transformation can be accomplished by one of my level. It's rarely done, and it can be very painful, but you would gain centuries of life."

"Uh huh," Anko replied, tapping against one ball with her knife. That had Shakko on her knees, quivering. "Why would you be willing to do that, if it only takes a promise to get the ball back?"

"We kitsune live in families," Kiko answered.

"Whenever we can, we act to make the families stronger. That's why we chose the bearer of…." Nogitsune was cut off by Kurenai.

"**WE WILL NOT SPEAK OF THAT HERE." **

Ten Ten and Sakura knew the reason for Kurenai's reaction. But, Hinata and Ino were left wondering. They had no knowledge of Kyuubi's relationship to Naruto.

The look on Kurenai's face had some of the kitsune huddling together. "The penalty will be swift and severe." She held Tenko's ball over the fire.

"I'm…" Nogitsune's eyes widened. She realized what the issue must be. The younger humans did not know about the youma. "I apologize. We chose the special boy as the one best suited to give us strong pups." That should be safe enough to say.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered. The ears on all of the foxes twitched. They heard what the human women did not.

"As I was saying," Kiko said. "You are strong females. You would add much to the family."

"Well girls, you know that a lot of guys always say they like a woman who's a real fox. Any takers?" Kurenai didn't expect anyone to accept the offer. None did. "Good. Let's get down to business. _I'll_ start things off." She asked for Tenko's name. The kitsune gave it. "If you… Tenko… promise never to go after Naruto again, or seek vengeance against those of us here or our village, I will return your Hoshi-no-tama."

Tenko stood quietly for a while, her eyes locked with Kurenai's. Finally she sighed and slumped her shoulders. "On one condition," Tenko said, almost willing to put up a fight, even though it would likely lead to the death of some of the kitsune. "In five years time… when the spirit moves us again…we are allowed to seek him out and beseech his attention… without any tricks whatsoever."

The other kitsune all looked to their family leader with respect and gratitude.

"B-… B-… But…" Hinata almost dropped the ball in her hand.

Kurenai put a finger to her lips, silencing the white-eyed girl. Then she thought a moment before speaking. **"**Agreed. You will state your names to all of us, and you will use those same names when and if you ever approach Naruto again. Any use of magic or natural talents whatsoever will be considered breech of promise."

After Tenko and Kurenai had worked their deal, each ninja paired off with a kitsune and worked their way through the same process. When it was Hinata's turn, Genko tried to be shrewd. "You know, we could always work another promise." The kitsune woman smiled. "You like the boy, don't you?"

"Ummm-mm-m… " Hinata swallowed hard. She felt as if the whole world was staring at her.

"I'd gladly share him with you. And, I can teach you the kitsune art of seduction. If your will and desire are strong enough, it cannot fail. Tenko almost had him." Genko looked very eager.

"N-… N-… No…" Hinata twitched. "I… ummm… he should…" She went quiet.

"Good girl, Hinata. I'm proud of you." Kurenai had been holding her breath.

Sakura was the last one to go through the making of the promise. Lulled into the repetitive nature of the entire process, having seen everything go smoothly for the six other shinobi, she let her guard down ever so slightly.

In fox form, Kuko prepared to speak her solemn oath. But, seeing how loosely the pink-haired girl held the star ball in her hand, she took a chance. Rubbing her tails together, she caused a huge tongue of flame to jump out from the camp fire and burn the girls hand. Even as Sakura was beginning to cry out, the kitsune used her tails to knock the ball to the ground.

Grabbing her Hoshi-no-tama in her teeth, Kuko ran off into the forest, followed by all of the other fox women except Tenko.

"It was a very well-played round, ladies." The Celestial fox smiled, then disappeared from view.

Every one turned to look at Sakura. She shrunk under their gaze. Kurenai sighed and shook her head. "Hopefully, we won't have too much trouble from one kitsune. And, the time of her estrous should be over soon." Kurenai said. "I doubt that Naruto will be fooled, knowing what he does now."

"Don't count on it!" Kuko's voice came from somewhere in the tree tops.

Hinata stood staring at Sakura.


	2. two

**_A/N:_**

You convinced me. I'll see if I can continue this. I think I came up with some good plot ideas.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The sheets were damp.

After the sound of noisy bedsprings had continued for half of an eternity, the room was now silent.

Naruto wished he had a cigarette. No, he didn't smoke…… and he hated the smell of tobacco…… but he remembered what Asuma said guys usually did after sex.

Looking over to his left, he felt proud. He had done it. For years, no one would look at him as anything other than a monster, or some loudmouthed useless kid. Girls had avoided him like the plague. Sakura had fallen for that traitor Sasuke, but treated him like he was trash.

Ha! She certainly changed **_her_** tune. Maybe those damn kitsune had finally gotten her to see what was in her heart.

_Otherwise, why would there be pink hair spilling over the pillow next to his. _

Reaching over to pull back the cover slowly, he froze. That wasn't Sakura! **_It was Ino. _**What was going on? Just _who_ had crawled into his bed last night? It was his first time drinking like that with the guys.

_What had he forgotten?_

Softly, he stroked the girl next to him, seeing if she would wake up and tell him how things went. The feel of her fur was luxurious. Huh? **Fur! **Looking again, he saw a fox laying next to him.

"Shit!" Naruto sat up in bed.

What the hell was that all about? Ouch.

_That was one hell of a dream._

He only had a single bed. He was the only one in it. Hell, his bedroom was much smaller than the palatial suite in his dream. There had been no drinking. And, he had never been to bed with **_any_** girl, much less Sakura or Ino.

The stuff he had heard from Tsunade about the fox women had certainly knocked him for a loop. _Damn! _Maybe in five years he would regret his actions. Maybe in five years he would take up the kitsune on their offer…… **_if _**he hadn't found himself a real girlfriend by that time. And, if he was still alive.

_Akatsuki was still after his balls, but not the way the kitsune had been._

Drifting back to sleep, he toyed with a nonsensical idea. Just how powerful **_were_** kitsune? If he did what all seven had wanted, would _they_ fight on his side against The Nine? That would be a lot of foxes…… bastard demon in his belly and a harem of fox women.

Foxy women.

Women.

Thinking those words, he fell back into a deep slumber.

It was actually chilly, but he didn't feel a need to pull his blanket over him. Why **_would_** he? He wasn't in bed. And, there was plenty of warmth around him. Suddenly feeling a need to realize why, he noticed a weight upon his head. Reaching up, he took something off of his nest-like hair.

_It was a fox pup!_

But, it was **_not_** the only one. There was a whole cluster of them curled up around him, almost like a living coat. Now that he actually focused on his surroundings, he saw young foxes everywhere: running, jumping at butterflies, rolling with each other in mock battle.

He looked down at the one that he now held in his lap. It opened wide blue eyes, yawned, and then spoke:

"Daddy!"

That had Naruto waking up again, his hand immediately going to his head. Only hair. No pup.

_Whew!_

It had **_not _**been a great idea to eat twelve cups of instant Ramen just before bed time. But, he had been very edgy after speaking with the _real_ Tsunade. Not only had the things that she reported to him caused him pause, he had also been very uncomfortable sitting alone in her office with her.

_Especially since Kurenai had reported about Tenko's trick._

Noodles weren't to blame for the dreams, though. At least not entirely. As a ninja, he was often forced into the role of hunter. It was the nature of his profession. Now he was the hunted, but in an entirely _different_ fashion.

Part of that truth fascinated him and had him fantasizing. What young man wouldn't like beautiful women lusting after him and him alone? He might be inexperienced in such matters, but that didn't mean he didn't have his own urges.

On the other hand, the idea that there was a magical and legendary creature out there somewhere with only one thing on her mind had him feeling harassed. The kitsune named Kuko was not attracted to _him. _She just wanted the Kyuubi. In some ways, that put her on par with Akatsuki.

_Damn. _

He could think through all that crap in the morning. He had been up late for a briefing, after Kurenai and the girls had returned from their mission. Maybe he should think about something snide to say to Sakura, just to see her squirm.

Gradually falling to sleep musing about possible one-liners, Naruto's thoughts briefly went to Jiraiya. His former teacher had been overjoyed to hear about Naruto's travails and tribulations. He had also been very disappointed in his one time apprentice, telling him that he had passed up the chance of a life time.

As his mind faded to black, a spectral form became more and more prevalent. He felt like he was being watched. There was a strange musty odor, and the sound of slow deep breathing.

"**SLEEP WELL. GATHER YOUR STRENGTH. YOU WILL NEED IT."**

Naruto tossed in his sleep. What was that voice? It was familiar, but he couldn't put a name to it for some reason.

"**MY PLAN IS FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION. THE PAWN IS READY TO BECOME KING. NO, NOT _KING_. RATHER, _FATHER TO A RACE_.** "

Pulling his pillow over his head, Naruto hoped to shut out the loud omnipresent voice. He couldn't. It seemed to be inside him.

"**WHY DO YOU THINK I ALLOWED THE HUMAN TO DEFEAT ME, TO SEAL ME IN A MALE CHILD? HOW COULD HUMANS BE SO FOOLISH TO THINK I COULD BE SO EASILY VANQUISHED? YOUR PRECIOUS YONDAIME SOWED THE SEEDS TO YOUR KIND'S DESTRUCTION.**"

Naruto was trembling. He started off by whispering 'no.' Then, he spoke it louder. Soon, he was shouting his denial.

"**YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE THE NEW RULERS OF THE EARTH. WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO RELEASE ME. I WILL LEAD THE WAY TO A NEW DESTINY.**"

His heart pounding, Naruto woke yet again. That dream had been truly disturbing. For a while, he wasn't even certain it had been a dream.

_But, the bastard fox was never that wordy. _

"Crap!"

This was getting ridiculous. At this rate, it would be sun up before he knew it. He needed to get some sleep. Whatever the next dream, he would just weather the brief storm then sail smoothly after that. Wrapping himself in his blanket, he felt sleep overtake him once more.

This time, the beautiful woman in his dream was someone he didn't know. She was rather shapely, with long legs and curves that never stopped. Her long indigo hair covered parts of her naked body, tantalizing him with the bits he could see.

"This is like a dream come true," the woman said with a subtle irony. She reached out and touched him. It felt so real. "I hope you _never_ wake up." She began rubbing her hands over him in ways he hoped to experience for real some day. "It's **_your _**dream, so you can be as good as you want to be. Show me what kind of man you wish to be. _Touch me!"_

Naruto found himself doing things he had only read about in the Frog Hermit's book. If he were awake, and with a real girl, he probably would have been sweating, unable to move a muscle.

_Ahhhh. _

If only real life could be like this. An eager…… beautiful…… receptive…… indigo-haired…."

Beautiful. Indigo haired. Eager.

Why was that tugging at his memory now. Tsunade's office. The briefing. The Hokage had mentioned seven kitsune…… their names…… and their appearances.

He sat up again, rubbing his eyes. This time, the girl from his dreams did not disappear.

"Hello."

The woman wrapped her arms around Naruto and tried to drag him down on top of her.

"Huh!"

Naruto jerked away, then rolled off of the bed and on to the floor. Backing up against the back wall, he realized that the only thing he was wearing was his old night cap. Swallowing hard, he took it off of his head and used it to cover his privates.

"_Hmmmm. _That is kind of cute," the woman said. "I like it better the way it was before, though." She slid out of the bed, her nakedness drawing Naruto's eyes like a magnet attracts steel. She ran her fingers over her erect nipples. "_Oooooh_. I should have remembered to slide the door closed.

A chill evening air blew in off of Naruto's balcony, the curtains covering the open door blowing in the night breeze.

"You! You're Kuko. A kitsune!"

Naruto dove behind his couch, grabbing his discarded jumpsuit and dressing in no time flat.

"_Mmmmm hmmmm_." Kuko licked her lips, then frowned when her human form suddenly sprouted four lovely golden tails. "I sometimes lose control when I'm excited," she purred. "If you know what I mean…."

Naruto shook his head, as if trying to exorcize a vision. It certainly was not a dream, even the things he saw now were far beyond any book he had ever read.

He put his hand to his head. It was that feeling again. He felt his legs moving against his will, before coming back under his control.

"So close," Kuko said, pouting. "If you begin to desire me just a little bit more, I'll have you." She winked. "I probably only have a week or so left before my cravings subside. So, you can expect to see me every night." She began waking over to him, her hips swaying in hypnotic fashion. The movement of her tails almost had Naruto bewitched. "Unless you want to get started _tonight_…."

Naruto took up a fighting stance. Working his hands quickly, he began forming Rasengan.

"I'm going to end this problem right now," he said. He was sorely tempted. There was no way to be certain if it was part of her attempt at a seduction spell, or whether his own secret desires were making themselves heard.

"Ohhh? _Are_ you?" Kuko said, hiding her face behind her hands. "You would do that to a woman. Is **_that_** the kind of thing a Hokage would do?" She shivered. "Killing an innocent woman…."

Naruto grimaced. He couldn't maintain his jutsu, even though he knew that the fox woman was manipulating his feelings.

"You…… I doubt you are innocent…." He pushed a chair between him and the kitsune.

"_Mmmmm," _Kuko said with a sultry noise. "Innocence is over-rated." She laughed softly. "Some girls are determined to hold onto it until they meet the right guy." She changed form, suddenly. Now she looked like Sakura, the girl she had tricked at the clearing. "But, most males seem to be in a rush to get rid of it…."

Naruto shook his head, eyes narrowing. He didn't like to see his teammate's form hijacked without her consent.

"I can look like **_any_** girl you want," Kuko said.. "Many men seem to enjoy variety." She fluffed her long hair. "If you prefer the older woman, I can look like _her_ too." She took on Tsunade's image. "Tenko almost had you."

"_Hey! _I call her Granny! I don't really want to…… I don't actually…… well I…." Nartuto ran down. He had to admit to himself that he fantasized about Tsunade now and again.

"Granny?" Kuko chuckled. "A young thing like her? I'm five hundred years old." She smiled when Naruto's eyes showed disbelief. "And, a woman can learn a **_lot_** in that amount of time. I can teach you how to have any woman you want."

Naruto needed to find some way to curtail his growing fascination.

Yeh.

_That ought to do it!_

"F-ck. You don't want me. You just want that bastard demon." He frowned.

"True," Kuko. "And I like that word you used." She stretched, then turned to give Naruto a good profile view. "To grow the family, we females usually need to mate with males of our own kind. But, they are rather boring and perfunctory." Her face looked like she had bitten something sour. "Mating with humans is fun, but usually results in human children." Kuko shook her head. She had no desire to be tied down with a human family. "But you would be the best of both worlds. The Kyuubi is in you. He is far beyond _any_ kitsune." Her eyes were very intense now. "That wouldn't matter with human women; but we kitsune mate with more than just the body…."

Naruto put his leg up on the chair and set his jaw. He scratched his head, then sneered.

"Wrong things to say. You want to grow a family. Some day I want to have a family. I never knew my parents. If I have a kid, I want to see him."

"_Her," _Kuko corrected. "Our child will be a female." She spoke as if it were a foregone conclusion.

"Her. Him. _Whatever." _Naruto looked ready to spit. "I want to teach my kids. I want to grow older with them. I…… I might be unable to resist if…… uhhh…… you know…." He was blushing. That was not helpful. He needed to sound and look forceful. "I might give in if there weren't children involved. But, I will **_not_** have any child of mine taken from me."

Kuko lowered her head for a moment. Her demeanor changed temporarily.

"That dedication……. you would make a wonderful sire. I could almost think of staying in human form for a great many years if…." She shook her head. The smile she put on was even more seductive than before. "I'm afraid you've only increased my desire to have a child by you."

Naruto cursed.

"I will **_never_** let anyone take my precious ones away from me. Not while I'm still alive and able to put up a fight. Woman or not, you had better leave. I'm beginning to get pissed off. _Big time!"_

Rather than feel defeated, Kuko raised one eyebrow. In the blink of an eye, she appeared to be fully clothed. It was time to play her trump card. He had given her just the angle she needed, considering she had briefly skimmed his thoughts while laying next to him.

"Your precious ones. You truly care about your friends. You want to do your best for this village, despite the fact that many despise you for the very thing that draws me to you." She pulled the chair away from Naruto, then sat in it. "Would you sacrifice yourself on their behalf?"

"**Yes!**" Naruto said with a growl. _"Why?" _He suspected some kind of trick.

"There are those that want you for Nine Tails. Nine in number, coincidentally." Her words had Naruto swallowing hard. "They are rather ruthless, even more than most humans. Who knows how many will die when they make their move."

Naruto froze. She was making reference to Akatsuki!

"Just what are you saying?" Naruto clenched his fists.

"There are four temples across the lands that are dedicated to the _Shi Tenno, _heavenly kings who act as guardians against the attack of demons. **_Zocho_** is known as the Guardian of the South. His temple is not too far from here, even though no humans are aware of that fact. Without the aid of kami or those like them, no man will ever find such a temple, much less step inside one." Kuko paused to let that sink in. "The temple of **_Jikoku_** is far to the east, while the temples to **_Komoku_** and **_Tamon_** are a fair distance to the west and north."

"And I should care because?" Naruto pulled at one ear.

"As one who contains Kyuubi, you are in effect making the guardians' jobs easier. No doubt one of them aided the brave human who trapped the great youma within you. There is a chance that you and anyone with you could gain entrance to that temple if you are with me. I myself can gain entry due to my very nature." Kuko had a calculating look in her eyes. "The shaman who live in those temples are wiser than humans. They know many things. It is likely they could tell you how to defeat your enemies."

That statement hit Naruto hard.

_If he could get his hand on information that could lead to the destruction of Akatsuki…._

"I can guess your price," he said, beginning to sweat heavily.

"I think it would be a real coup. Quite a bargain." Kuko was minus her clothing again, just long enough to run over and give Naruto a quick kiss. "Think about it. I'll be back tomorrow night." With that, she ran out onto the balcony and vanished.

That settled it, without any doubt.

He wouldn't be getting any more sleep that night.

"Damn."


	3. three

Dust kept falling off of the scroll.

The parchment was faded and cracked, requiring a bright light to read certain passages.

"I don't see any specific mention of the words Shi Tenno, or the name Zocho." Tsunade said.

Naruto sighed. That was good news. He had reported his experience with Kuko to Tsunade, wisely omitting any reference the kitsune made to Tenko.

"_However,"_ the Hokage said. "I _do_ find reference to four guardian kings or deities. It looks as if they started off as _devas_ in a distant land, then became part of the legends of the great lands to the east." Her long nails tapped one part of the scroll. Scowling, she squinted.

"There is mention of a **Virudhaka**, also known as _Mo-Li Hung._ There was a **Dhrtarastra**, known by others as _Mo-Li Ching_. **Vaisravana**, was called _Mo-Li Shou_ and **Virupaksa** assumed the name _Mo-Li Ha."_

Naruto began rubbing the back of his neck. The whole business with Kuko had him very tense. Part of him kept telling him to just give in, getting the whole mess over with. Another part kept thinking about Akatsuki, wondering if there really were shamans somewhere that could provide him with important information.

"Virudhaka was said to govern in the south and to preside over the summer. He was called 'He who enlarges the kingdom' and 'the powerful one'. That could very well correspond with this Zocho that the fox woman mentioned."

"So, do **_you_** think that Kuko was telling the truth, Old Lady?" Naruto sat up straighter.

"I don't know," Tsunade said, frowning. "But, you can make her promise to tell the truth when she returns. She will keep her word. If her answer is too convoluted or vague, it might mean she is trying to trick you." She sighed. "But even if it **_is_** the truth, there will no doubt be tricks involved somewhere."

"_Shit,"_ Naruto said. "One damn fox is enough. Why did I need to get _more_ trouble?" He smacked his fist against one leg. "Damn tricksters."

Tsunade giggled, making Naruto look directly at her. Up until that point, he had made an effort to look at everything in the room except the Hokage.

"What?" He stuck out his lower lip.

"It's funny," Tsunade said. "_You,_ complaining about tricksters!" She shook her head, a fond look on her face. Her brother had been a bit of a scamp too. "But, I guess that means if anyone had a chance with the kitsune, it would be you." Her face clouded over. "But, they are not only mischievous…… they are very clever…… _and_ devious…."

Naruto's eyes widened for a moment. He smiled a wicked smile.

"I am too, Granny Tsunade!" he chuckled. "Maybe if I took on the appearance of Ero-Sennin…… and acted just like **_him_**…… it would drive the kitsune away."

Tsunade grinned, before massaging her temples and beginning anew.

"It says here that Virudhaka was depicted as a helmeted warrior wearing armor and wind-blown scarves. He has a blue complexion and a wrathful expression. He holds a sword in his right hand and his closed left hand rests on his hip." She showed Naruto a faded illustration. "So, if the temple exits…… and is dedicated to Zocho…… and Zocho is indeed related to Virudhaka…… then you **_should_** see something like that in statues or decorations."

"That's a lot of 'ifs'." Naruto said, kicking at the corner of Tsunade's desk. "If Kurenai and the girls hadn't shown up, Tenko would have had her way with me, and life would be back to normal. _Almost_." He hated having things hanging over his head. There was more than enough of that in his life already.

He suddenly realized just what he had said. It almost felt as if the temperature in the room dropped a couple of degrees.

_He was unable to look at Tsunade again._

The Hokage cleared her voice after a few moments of silence. She read aloud.

"Virudhaka's army and attendants consist of the **kumbhandas** and the **pretas**. The kumbhandas are spirit eating demons who are known for their huge scrotums. They have human bodies and horses' heads. The pretas are the hungry ghosts. Since **yakshas** are classified as hungry ghosts, Virudhaka's pretas are often considered yakshas as well. I recognize one of those words. "

"Great!" Naruto spat out. "Which one?"

"The Japanese equivalents of the p**retas** are the **Gaki**, the hungry ghosts. Invisible to humans in their real form, they can assume any shape. They are depicted as footless beings with wide mouths and swollen bellies. Not something you would want to meet, if they actually exist." Tsuande rubbed her eyes, and then coughed because of all of the dust.

"_Wonderful!"_ Naruto said. "I if I don't get _molested_, I could get **_eaten._** Sign me up for this mission!"

"Let's see. The decription of Yakshas says that they are pot-bellied, squat creatures and are considered to be keepers of water holes. They are very fond of riddles. Those who answer their riddles are richly rewarded, while those who don't risk death." The Hokage yawned. She had been up late as well, searching through her library. "That could be better than the Gaki….. except that it says that Yakshas eat the flesh of humans."

Naruto just shook is head and closed his eyes.

_Things just kept getting better and better._

"Of course, just because the legends say that such creatures are associated with Virudhaka, it doesn't mean they**_ actually_** exist, or would necessarily be at a temple dedicated to that guardian." She pursed her lips, taking note of Naruto's sullen response. "Ah. Well, _this_ a little comforting I guess."

"What?" Naruto opened his eyes again, but closed them when he found his vision centered on the Hokage's ample chest.

"**Yakshas** only eat the flesh of evildoers." Tsunade answered, scowling when she noted Naruto's behavior. If she ever met Tenko in person, the kitsune might lose its tails the hard way, plucked out one by one.

"Oh. I feel so much better now." Naruto screwed up his face. "So, Old Lady, are you going to send me with Kuko?"

"No." Tsunade answered.

Naruto smiled. That was good news, at least. _Wasn't it?_ They would find some way to deal with The Nine on their own, right? He stopped smiling, his sense of responsibility waking up again.

"I won't assign this as a mission. It is up to **_you_** to decide. Although I am very worried about what might happen, I will give you permission to go if you so choose." The Hokage's eyes looked vulnerable.

_There was no doubt that she carried about all of Konoha, not just a certain young troublemaker. _

"**_Crap!_**" Naruto said. "That's a dirty trick, leaving things up to me. And I know _exactly _what you are thinking, Granny Tsunade. Sometimes a ninja must give up his life for the good of the village." He swallowed hard. "Except it wouldn't be my life…."

Tsunade nodded. "I would wager that any number of your fellow ninjas would gladly accept your burden in this situation. But, I'm rather impressed to see you thinking with more than just your glands." She blew dist off of her desk top. "If having…… _relations_…… with a beautiful woman was the worst that happens to you…."

Naruto rubbed at his nose. His twitched, Tsuande's words striking some chord within him, reinforcing one of his own thoughts.

"It's not just that I never…." Naruto swallowed hard. "And she really **_does_** look…." He grabbed the arms of his chair. "But I…… I keep having these images…. _you know_."

"Hmmmm?" Tsunade could imagine what was bothering Naruto.

"She might have a woman's body…… but I keep picturing…… uhhh…… you know…… doing it with a fox…." Naruto blushed.

The Hokage could have had fun there at Naruto's expense. But, this was a serious issue. Life or death issues were sometimes easier to deal with than ethical ones. If she started asking people to compromise their morals, then just what would she be standing for?

_How could the men and women of the Leaf trust her implicitly?_

She also guessed correctly how Naruto felt about the seven kitsune and their attraction to Kyuubi. That would be bad enough. But, if word got around that he was sleeping with kitsune, not only would some villagers poke fun at him, many of the older generation might view that as a sign that he was untrustworthy, due to the presence of the fox demon within him.

"And…." Naruto scratched his head.

"Yes?" The Hokage asked, intrigued as always to see the way that Naruto thought and reacted to things.

Naruto told Tsunade about his dreams. He was particularly worried that Kuko…… or anyone she might be working for…… was interested in using Kyuubi. In that way, the kitsune might be just as big a threat as Akatsuki. Maybe even _worse_, since The Nine were at least human, and were not nearly as big of a mystery as fox women.

"That's a good point," Tsunade admitted. "But their whole approach seems more like they are being driven by their biological urges." She shook her head, sighing. "But, that doesn't mean that there couldn't be more than one thing on their minds." Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes and thought for a while.

Naruto stood up and began walking around the room. He was feeling very edgy again.

"Again, I guess you could ask Kuko to promise. Unless the legends about the kitsune are wrong…… or written by the kitsune themselves…… that might suffice. But, I don't think that I will allow you to go off with her alone." The Hokage nodded her head, a plan crystallizing.

"Huh? You mean you might send some of the guys with me? Maybe Kakashi?" Naruto held his breath.

"No. Kuko might be able to influence their reactions, even if she fails to control you." Tsunade tapped her fingers together. "She would have fewer ways to influence women. And, if she resented their presence, it might throw her thoughts into some degree of turmoil."

"Old Lady, are you saying that you want to send Kurenai, Anko, and the other girls with me?" Naruto set his jaw, talking between clenched teeth. "Some of them are a **_real_** pain in the ass. And if I have to…… you know…… I don't want anyone _watching_." He shivered for a few moments, wondering just what Anko might do. "I doubt that Kuko would accept that."

"Well," the Hokage said, smiling. "Only one way to see, _right?_ If she's desperate enough, she might cave in. It might be best to wait a night or two more before answering her. "

"**Yeh!**" Naruto said, his eyes narrowing. "And maybe I can work other angles too. I won't give her what she wants if she takes me to the temple. There will have to be something that helps against Akatsuki!"

Tsunade smiled. Naruto was not thefinest by-the-book tactician by any means. But, he often came up with the best solutions.

"Very good. You spend some time today working your way through things like that. Also make sure you get her to promise not to reveal your secret to anyone who doesn't know it. I will discuss things with the girls. I know that some of them still want to get back at the kitsune more than they already have. That might make them eager to help." Tsunade sighed. "But, I will have to lay down the law for some of them, who might get a bit carried away."

Tsunade rang a bell. She would need the duty roster.

"No one will get the best of Uzumaki Naruto," the blonde haired shinobi said when he was dismissed.

"I hope so," the Hokage whispered.


	4. four

A bowl of nuts slid across the polished maple counter. Two more followed.

Choji reached out and grabbed one, an eager look on his face. He took a second as well. The third he offered to Shikamaru, who shook his head.

After that, the bar snacks were up for grabs.

The frog purse slammed down on the smooth surface, making a loud 'clank' noise as a few coins jumped out and rolled off the edge.

"Sake. For **_everyone_**. On _me!" _Naruto moved one coin around on the waxed wood. Neither he, nor any of his friends, was heavily into drinking. While they were _not_ adults, there were no laws against their imbibing. Shinobi were allowed heir vices within reason, as long as it didn't compromise themselves, their teammates, or their missions. "Your best chips, too!" Naruto banged his glass against Choji's. "And dog biscuits, if you have them. Or bones of any type."

Akamaru barked his thanks. Kiba smiled, then downed his drink.

"I don't see what the problem is," he said. _"_It's like a gift from above! You say she's **_beautiful_**…… she **_wants _**you….. and you **_don't_** have to wine and dine her." He shrugged. "What _more _could you ask for?"

"She's not human," Neji said, holding his glass up the light, contemplating it. "Doubtless there are things that Naruto cannot tell us."

"Like _**what?** _It can't be anything to make him pass up a deal like _this!"_ Kiba poured some Sake on the floor for Akamaru. "If he gets fleas, Shizune or Sakura can give him something for the bath." He laughed. "Yo, Naruto. _Once in a life time experience."_

"No. Not really," Naruto said, downing his drink quickly. "Kuko isn't the only kitsune. There are six others." he told them about the concessions that Tenko and Kurenai worked out. "She's free to do what she wants because Sakura f-cked up!"

"**Shit!** You should buy Pinkie a nice present then," Kiba said with a sigh. "Why _you?_ It just doesn't make any sense." He tapped the bar, ready for another drink.

"I assume she is not just interested in lovemaking," Shikamaru said. "The fox woman wants offspring. I can see how **_that _**would be bothersome. I thought my mother was loud and annoying. At least _she _appears to care for my father."

Naruto clinked his glass against Shikamaru's.

"_Ha! _Why don't you just get the Hokage to make you something that will keep you shooting blanks?" Kiba smiled wickedly.

"**OOOOOOH! **Naruto is being honorable. His spirit is truly admirable." Lee stared at his drink. He knew what happened when he got drunk. But, he wasn't planning on fighting anyone. "The burning flame of Konoha should _not_ be wasted on those who do not care for the village."

"No doubt there are also tricks involved," Shino spoke his first words of the afternoon.

"Yes," Shikamaru agreed. "I have heard stories about kitsune before. They are beyond troublesome. What is more, once they get one thing they enjoy, they ask for even more."

"**_See!_**" Kiba said. "A gift from above!" He snorted, seeing the look on Lee's face. "Cocks…… rocks…… thank you fox!"

"Can she cook well?" Choji asked, his eyes intense. "You could ask for any meal you wanted."

Naruto put his forehead against the cool countertop.

_Just what kind of wisdom had he expected to get from this bunch?_

"This is not someone who is at odds with herself, that Naruto can help. His usual good heart would be taken advantage of." Neji took a sip, made a face, then sipped some more. "While her offer may serve the village, he is _not_ bound to that destiny." He finished his drink. "There is also the issue of the townspeople. What would they think of his act?"

"Who says they should find out?" Kiba challenged. "**_You_** going to tell them?" He barked a short laugh. "The only bad thing about this is what the Fifth decided."

"**AHHHHHH! **I will agree to that. We are better suited to the mission than the girls. This group has grown stronger than it was when you fought the Sound Five. Shino and I have our places as well!" Lee downed another drink quickly, beginning to wobble on his stool. "But, Sakura **_is_** very strong." Lee suddenly had a dreamy look on his face. "Kurenai and Anko are formidable as well."

"_Shit! _They'd probably take turns with Kuko, doing each other's nails and hair." Kiba chuckled. "We would be there to take care of Naruto."

"Of course," Shikamaru said. "You would **_not_** be there to stare at the kitsune in human form, even if she pranced around naked." He sighed. _Things had been much simpler before puberty._

The bar went dead quiet. That was followed by a collective in take of breath. Light footsteps could be heard.

"Were you boys talking about me?"

I was Kuko. She was dressed in a dark blue dress that looked like it had been painted on. Her hair was up in a very fancy style.

Akamaru growled. Kiba shushed him. Lee's eyes went even wider, if that was possible. Shikamaru and Neji studied the kitsune. Shino didn't turn around. Choji offered her the bowl.

Naruto put his face in his hands.

"What are **_you _**doing here?" He asked Kuko. "I though you were supposed to return tonight."

"I will," she promised, licking her lips. "Was that an invitation?"

Kiba's jaw fell. Lee found it hard to stay on his stool.

"It doesn't matter, _does_ it? You will take it that way." Naruto tapped the bar top again. Then he held up three fingers. When the glasses arrived, Kuko reached over and snatched two. She poured one down the back of his shirt.

"You should shower now," she said. "I'm very good at scrubbing backs…… among other things."

Kiba knocked his drink over.

"You should introduce me to your friends," the kitsune said. "They're all welcome to watch…… unless you're _shy _about that kind of thing."

Akamaru howled.

Lee shook a moment, his eyes looking blank. "My name is Rock Lee." Finished speaking, he put his hand to his mouth. _Someone had controlled his actions._

"A funny name," Kuko said. "And those eyebrows…… perhaps you have Tanuki blood somewhere in you." She drank the other glass she had pilfered. "We should check."

"**OHHHHH**. I find your words confusing. How could we know this?" Lee clenched both fists, his mouth going razor straight.

"Well, Tanuki have huge sacks…… if you know what I mean." Kuko spoke matter-of-factly. "You need only drop your trousers."

Lee fell off of his seat.

"My name is Nara Shikamaru," the tallest ninja said voluntarily. "You feel a need to prove your powers here? How unflattering." He turned away from Kuko. "No wonder Naruto is less than impressed."

"_Oh?" _the kitsune said. "In **_my_** kind, the males with the largest intellects often have the smallest genitals. Is that true for humans _too?" _She smiled when the bartender put a new glass in front of Shikamaru.

"No," Shikamaru said, somewhat defensively, even though he didn't intend to get involved in a battle of words. He picked up the glass and took a deep drink. His eyes bulged. He began coughing.

The image of the glass wavered. It was actually a small container of horseradish for the beef skewers that Choji ordered.

"You shouldn't do that to Shikamaru," Choji said, his face purpling. "He is a very good person."

"I see," Kuko said. She poked Choji's belly. "Is this one carrying pups?"

Kiba spat out the Sake he had been swallowing. He fought the urge to laugh.

Before Choji knew what had happened, the beef on his plate was all gone. Akamaru was chewing on one piece while Kuko licked her fingers.

"This time of year, I prefer ground squirrel," she said. Her eyes showed amusement when Shikamru shook his head and grabbed Choji's arm. When Shino turned to stare at her, she opened her mouth to speak. Shivering, she decided to ignore him.

"So, would you like to know **_my_** name?" Kiba asked, squaring his shoulders.

"No," Kuko answered. "You smell of dog." When Akamaru took offense, she said "No offense. It works for you."

"Maybe you were right after all, Naruto" Kiba growled. "This one doesn't seem to be worth your time, no matter _how _good she looks."

For a moment, Kuko had her tails again. A quick burst of fire appeared under Kiba, causing him to jump then curse. The kitsune's eyes looked furious. When she caught Naruto looking at her, she looked guilty.

"**_Heh!_**" Naruto said, putting both hands behind his neck. He winked at Kiba. "If I _was_ going to have kitsune children, I'd certainly want them to behave better than _that." _He looked her up and down. "You're even prettier than Sakura." He saw the fox woman smile. "But looks aren't everything." He held up his hand. Kiba slapped it.

"It's **_not_** wise to toy with one of my race," Kuko said.

Naruto hopped down from his stool. Walking a few steps forward, he stood nose to nose with the kitsune.

"It's not wise to mess with Uzumaki Naruto." He took out some coins and put them in her hands. "It's also a bad idea to mess with his friends." He added a few more coins.

"What are these for?" Kuko asked, her eyes flashing.

"To buy yourself a better personality," Naruto said, smirking. "Before you stop by tonight."

Choji was consuming his new plate of meat faster than Kuko had before. _These were great seats. _

Kiba slapped his hard on the bar. Shino actually smiled, though no one could tell. Neji shook his head.

"You…." Kuko's tails reappeared, twitching furiously. "_You_…." Her eyes narrowed to slits. "**_You_**…… you _human!" _She trembled for a moment. Then her lips curved into a sultry smile. "Your spirit is perfect!" Without warning, she wrapped her arms around Naruto and gave him a deep long kiss. She went completely naked while she did so.

Lee had just climbed back on his stool. He fell off again. Choji clamped his hand over his nose, trying to hold back the blood. Kiba's eyes bulged.

Kuko took out her own purse, putting a small gold bar on the counter.

"Drinks for Uzumaki's Naruto's friends. For the rest of the day."

Naruto shook with rage when Kuko took out an ornate mirror and reapplied her lipstick.

"You see, young man. I can be **_very _**generous when I get what I want." She bumped her hip against him, turned, then walked out of the bar. "See you tonight."

"You are in a great deal of trouble," Shikamaru said.

"Tell me about it!" Naruto corralled all six glasses that arrived.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The lights in the room were all on.

Naruto paced back and forth anxiously, walking as far away from the bed as possible.

The cup of instant noodles he had made was now cold. He had lost his appetite. Kuko would be making her appearance soon, no doubt.

_Maybe not, though._

Naruto couldn't help but admire her determination. Like him, she set her sights on something she wanted and didn't let **_anything_** stand in her path. _It was her Kitsune Way._

There was a chance that she would wait for early morning to arrive. That would keep him on edge for a good while, and would leave him somewhat tired. His judgment might not be at its best.

Last night, after the incident in the bar, she had showed up fairly early, right after dark, knowing that he had been drinking. Praising him a lot, and trying to give him another kiss, she had come close to breaking him with her possession abilities.

_Too close._

But, he had held on to the one thing that figuratively kept his head above water. The demands that he made were reasonable to him. Kuko turned them down. That had made him obstinate. The Kitsune Way was no match for **_that_** combined with his Ninja Way.

Besides, just like tonight, his potential teammates were camped out in his hallway. If they had any indication that something funny was going on, they had been given orders to intrude.

"I have just as much of an advantage as she has," he said aloud.

That**_ might_** indeed be true. If Tsunade was correct, the estrous cycle of the fox women would be such that Kuko and her six compatriots would only be in heat for so long. Of course, seeing that they lived for centuries, who could say that their cycles might not be prolonged too.

"Doesn't hurt to hope!" Naruto said, trying to boost his confidence.

Oddly enough, he found himself enjoying the attention. He would almost be sad to see Kuko go. But, he had been lonely for a long time before finding friends.

_He did not need attention to survive._

It was nice thought. He didn't enjoy just the attention he got from the kitsune. His friends were all worried about him, and the Hokage and jounin appreciated his strong stand.

In any case, as long as he could hold out, his hand got better and better as time passed. The question was**_ not_** whether or not he should ask for concessions. No. The question was _what_ to ask for, _how many_ things to make mandatory, and _when_ to make his final offer.

There was a knock on his door. He walked over and opened it.

It was Anko.

"Everything OK in here? The bitch didn't show up yet." She knew that the correct term was vixen.

"No. Not _yet,"_ Naruto answered. For some reason, Anko had him more uncomfortable than Kuko did.

"You know, unless she's a masochist, if you slap her around hard, she **_might_** forget about you." Anko's look was downright frightening. "**_Might._** That wouldn't work with _me."_

"Yes…… uhhh…… but we need to find out about the temple…." Naruto swallowed hard.

"That's where the torture comes in…." Anko grinned.

"Torture?"

Naruto recognized that voice all too well. So did Anko.

It was Kuko. She stood on Naruto's balcony, dressed in a rather elegant evening gown. Naruto wondered what tact she was going to take tonight.

"Not having you in my arms is _torture_ enough," the kitsune said, hands clasped to her chest. "But if you **_really_ **want to hurt me…." Her appearance changed. She looked identical to Anko. Walking over to stand next to the jouinin, she ran her hand over Naruto's shirt. "I _can_ keep this form." She laughed her bell-like laugh. "Should I go get a whip?"

Hearing that, Kurenai rushed into the room, knowing how short a fuse Anko had. With the aid of Sakura and Ino, she managed to drag the dark-haired ninja from through the door before closing it.

Kuko changed back again.

"I chose this dress especially for you. _Beautiful_, isn't it?" She did a slow turn. "It comes off real easily, too." Her eyes showed that look. She jumped on Naruto, naked again.

But, she had locked her lips on a clone. The copy smiled before popping out of existence.

"Why don't you just give it a _rest_ already?" Naruto rubbed his neck. "The act is growing thin, you know."

Kuko's face fell. She brought a hand up to her mouth. A tear formed in one eye, then ran down her cheek.

"I'm…… I'm doing the best I know how….." She sniffed, her body trembling some. "Haven't **_you_** ever worked hard to get what you wanted, only to have people reject you?"

Naruto scowled. He certainly had been through more than his share of that.

"Wouldn't…… wouldn't **_you_** keep doing what you knew was right…… no matter _what_ stood in your way?" The kitsune looked away. More tears were falling.

Naruto looked away. He didn't like to see women cry.

"Why is it wrong for me…… for me to want acceptance?" Kuko shook harder for a moment. "I've been looking for so long. I've been doing my best to protect the family. I'm going to be the leader some day; but, that doesn't mean that I should give up my personal dreams, does it?"

"I…." Naruto felt his own history pushing against him.

"Don't…… don't I…… don't _I _deserve love, too?" The fox woman put her face in her hands. Tears trickled out between her fingers, making spots on the carpet.

"Sure…." Naruto answered from his heart.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Kuko tried her possession technique again. She smiled. Naruto didn't jerk away like he had each other time.

_This could be it. _

She would need to test the limit of her skills, creating an illusion of silence in the room, no matter how much noise she was making.

"B-B-But…." Naruto was finding it hard to get his words out.

"Relax," Kuko said, touching him lightly. "I've grown to respect you too much, to take you against your will. Why not take things slowly. We don't have to go too far if you don't like it." She kissed his neck softly. "But, if you _want_ me…… I'm yours…."

Naruto couldn't move. He wasn't able to break the seduction spell. Part of him **_did_** want her. Should he just go with the flow, getting whatever enjoyment out of it as he could? He would be a man when things were done….

No.

This was no different than being defeated in any other way. Uzumaki Naruto did not like to lose! And, he hated being manipulated.

Any minute now, he expected a surge of Kyuubi chakra. But, it didn't come. He didn't feel like he was in danger.

_He was too used to her now._

There was another way. He had used it before. It might not bear fruit, but what harm was there in trying.

Concentrating hard, he turned inward. After his dream the other night, he was almost afraid to find out what Kyuubi thought. But, what other choice did he have? He couldn't even move enough to make a noise that his fellow shinobi could hear.

"Why don't we take that shirt off," Kuko said, easing the clothing up over his head. After that, she began placing kisses all over his skin.

Naruto shivered. It broke his concentration. This was going to be harder than usual. Not good.

Nevertheless, his will was strong. He felt as if he were walking through a long maze of desolate hallways, small puddles of water here and there, a musty odor in the air. He continued until he stood before the set of huge bars.

"Wake up, bastard fox!"

"**WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE, INSECT? THIS IS NOT ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE YOUR IDIOCY HAS PLACED ME IN PERIL.**"

Naruto got angry.

"I'm about to get used against my will. Who can say what I might end up doing after that!"

"**THE WOMAN IS KITSUNE. SUPERIOR TO ONE SUCH AS YOU. SURELY YOU MUST SEE THAT. ACCEPT THE HONOR SHE DOES YOU, AND LEAVE ME TO MY REST.**"

Naruto shivered with rage. That asshole fox was just going to let him get pawed? Of course he would. As long as _his_ bacon wasn't in the fire.

"She is also taking advantage of you. Is that OK with you…… you big hairball!"

"**SHE HAS CHOSEN WISELY. IT IS NO HARM TO ME. YOUR DISCOMFORT IS LIKE CATNIP TO A CAT. I HOPE TO TASTE MORE.**"

After that, no matter how loud Naruto shouted, Kyuubi wouldn't answer.

His mind back in its usual place, he swallowed hard. Hard was the operative word. He only had his underwear on, and his anatomy was showing off.

"Froggie underwear…… how _cute_…." Kuko chuckled. "Let's slip these off, why don't we."

_It was serendipity that saved him that time._

"Naruto," Sakura opened the door without knocking. "We ordered a late dinner…… would you like some…." Peaking into the room, his teammate froze. Her face turned beet red. "**_NARUTO!_**"

That exclamation brought Anko.

"What is it Sakura?" She stepped into the room, taking note of the situation. "I see. Can you move, Naruto?" Not hearing an answer, she licked her lips. This was a good excuse to kick some ass. "_Hmmmm._ I can see why she's after you." Anko knew better than to mention Nine Tails in front of Sakura. "Who would have guessed that you were hung like a…." She was interrupted.

"**ANKO!**" It was Kurenai, who had heard enough. "Step **_away_** from the boy," she said, directing her command to Kuko.

"Not just yet," the kitsune said, pulling down Naruto's boxers. "OK." She stepped back, but didn't release her possession. "I believe the word you were looking for was horse," she said to Anko with a big grin.

"Do you need our help?" Ino stepped into the room, followed by Hinata, Ten Ten, and Shizune. They all froze when they saw Naruto.

Ino and Ten Ten quickly looked away. Shizune did too, nonplussed. She had treated Naruto in the hospital before, so wasn't surprised by anything she saw. Hinata stumbled, falling against the wall. She closed her eyes and started backing out of the room.

"Maybe _that_ explains why he has so much chakra," Anko said for Hinata's benefit. She laughed seeing the younger girl blush. "Might also explain why he acts like so much of a _dick_ sometimes…."

"_**ANKO!**"_ Kurenai looked rather perturbed. She didn't like seeing Hinata embarrassed that way.

"You might not be so bad after all," Kuko said, smiling at Anko. Shrugging, she released her control of Naruto. "Next time," she said with a wink.

"_Th-Th_-Thank you, Sakura." Naruto spoke before realizing he was still naked. "**_Shit!_**" He dove behind his couch.

"Wait for me!" Kuko said, leaping after him.

"**SLUT!**" Sakura connected with a right cross. The kitsune was flattened high against the opposite wall. When she got back to her feet, she bared her teeth and snarled. "That's the _least_ that I owe you," the shinobi girl said, still feeling guilty that she botched her promise with Kuko at the clearing.

"You will **_pay_** for that," Kuko said. "I'll…." The fox woman stopped, splashed in the face with the instant noodles Naruto threw.

"That's enough," Naruto said, angry. He had his trousers on. Backwards. "If you try to hurt any of my friends, I will **_kill _**you. Screw the temple!" He had reached his limit for the night.

Kuko's tails appeared, writing like angry snakes. The look she turned on Naruto was no longer seductive. It was contemplative.

"I told you that your act was growing old, **_didn't_** I?" Naruto turned his back on her. He saluted Sakura. "Teammates look out for one another, _right?"_

"_Right!"_ Sakura said, smiling. She turned a nasty glance on Kuko. "I won't let anyone take advantage of my friends, _either."_ She smirked, the clear winner of that round.

"I think we will **_all_** camp out I this room tonight," Kurenai said. "_Girls!"_ She called the others in. Hinata was still red in the face. She had difficulty looking at Naruto.

"That's fine." Kuko laughed. "He and I will share the bed. You ladies can sleep wherever you like."

Naruto just shook his head.

"OK," he said. "It's ultimatum time. You brought this on yourself. That was **_much_** too close." He turned away from the girls, realizing that his anatomy had _not_ returned to its resting state.

"I will make my demands again. We will negotiate to my satisfaction. Or, I will forget about the temple and you can forget about me. You need _not_ bother coming back again." He wasn't as ready to give up on any possible useful information as he tried to sound.

"Don't you just _adore_ a forceful man?" Kuko asked Hinata, knowing full well how the girl felt about Naruto.

"Ummm…." Hinata took a step back.

"**Enough!**" Naruto said. "Unless you want a second helping of Ramen." He stuck out his chin. "I have pork and seafood. Your choice."

Kuko stuck out her tongue at him. That had him speechless for a moment. She was more than five hundred years old, and she did _that?_

Why did it have him smiling?

"_Number one,"_ Naruto said, serious again. "You get what you want, only if _I_ get what _I _want. That means we **_both_** take risks." He put his leg up on the arm of the couch, holding a pillow in front of him.

"You take us to the temple. We get through it safely, and out again. I find something **_useful_** against Akatsuki." He swallowed hard, looking over at the girls. "You get what…… uhhh…… you want…."

Anko grinned. She loved drama. Kurenai nodded, approving of Naruto's demands. Hinata was unsteady on her feet for a brief moment.

"Alright." Kuko nodded, smiling. "But, here are **_my_** demands. I don't just want fun. I want a child. We try as many times as it takes." Her smile widened. "If it doesn't work this cycle, I return every other time I am ready, until I get what I want."

"A…… Agr……" Naruto had to cough to clear his throat. "Agreed." He knew that he was blushing. _"Number two._ The ladies will accompany us." He waved his arm around the room.

"Hmmmmm…… I'll have to think about **_that_** one…." Kuko's expression said that she already had. "Ahhhhh! _Fine."_ She began fluffing her hair. "You get one for free."

"Huh?" Naruto asked. "What the hell does **_that_** mean?"

"You get to choose one at no additional cost. For every one you want to add after that…." She stretched, purring. "You give one of the other kitsune the same attention you give me."

"They promised!" Kurenai said, sternly.

"_Mmmmm Hmmmmm_," Kuko replied. "Let's see. What were your words? Oh. Yes. 'If you, promise **_never_** to go after Naruto again, or seek vengeance against us or our village'." She nibbled at one of her fingernails. "They wouldn't be going after him. _He _would be going after _them."_ She laughed. "As long as it takes."

Everyone turned to look at Naruto.

"No way!" he said loudly. "Though I **_would_** agree to swap one of them for you!" His eyes showed his shock.

"Well, if we don't have a deal…." Kuko began walking towards the balcony.

Naruto clenched his fists. Maybe he should just say 'F-ck you' and let her leave. But if he could find out something about The Nine….

"Bye," he said, gambling that she wouldn't leave.

_She did._

"Damn!" Naruto said, deflating. "I don't know whether to be relieved that she's gone, or upset that we lose out on a chance to protect the Leaf."

"Shit," Anko said. "If you were going to bang one silly, what difference would it make if you humped the whole bunch of them?"

"I think that Naruto did very well," Sakura said. Hinata nodded her head, as did the other girls. "It certainly surprised me." The girls laughed.

"So you were being serious."

It was Kuko. She had stayed in the shadows outside.

"Yes," Naruto said.

"So was I," the kitsune said. "But, I guess I **_should_** find out why someone as strong as you feels the need to be protected by so many…… women…."

Naruto scowled. He was not going to rise to that bait.

"Because a certain fox woman…… who shall remain nameless…… had proven too effective in her attempts." He swallowed hard. Part of his mind wanted to relive the earlier seduction scene. "But, even more, she has shown herself to be very tricky and resourceful."

"I see," Kuko tugged at her hair. "Would it matter if I promised not to use my possession and seduction techniques again?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He rubbed his chin. Could he trust her? Ha! _Time to up the_ _ante…_

"Yes…… especially if **_I_** get to carry the star ball."

Kuko shook for a moment. Her tails appeared then went away. She had been caught off guard.

"You play a mean game," she whispered. Smiling, she nodded her head. "OK. Is that all you were worried about?"

"No," Naruto said sternly, his victory spurring him on. "There were a few things you neglected to mention about the temple. For example, does it hold kumbhandas, pretas. yakshas, hungry ghosts…… stuff like **_that_**…..things that would be dangerous to me or the one with me." He had let 'the one' part slip, but it didn't surprise Kuko. "Well…."

Kuko nodded. "Yes. All of them. And a few other things, too." She yawned, looked at the bed, at Naruto, then the bed again. She raised one eyebrow. Smiling, she continued. "None will attack you, as long as you are with me and keep your bargain. Furthermore, if we **_do_** sleep together, I would protect you with my life."

Naruto stood quietly for a moment. He did not look to Kurenai or Anko. Tsunade had been emphatic that this was **_his_** decision.

"Fine," he twitched, but maintained his composure. "Just one, then. Let's figure out who that should be…."

"_Let's,"_ Kuko purred, a look of triumph in her eyes.


	5. five

The fire crackled loudly.

The dancing flames wavered and gyrated in the occasion gust of wind.

Sparks flew up occasionally, as one of the two women poked at the logs underneath the cooking pot.

"You keep working on the broth we have, _little sister." _Kuko laughed, amusing herself with that form of address. "I will go catch some more meat." She smiled. "He's a growing boy. He's going to need all of the strength he has." She whispered something about growing that had absolutely nothing to do with height.

With that, the kitsune took on her fox form and ran off into the darkness. Not too much later, the agonized squeal of a rabbit could be heard.

"Well…… at **_least_** she's handy to have around," Naruto said absentmindedly, carving some sticks into spits. He would prefer some meat to chew on, not just for the soup.

_No doubt Kuko would be happy to be of service._

Watching as the pile of wood shavings grew, he thought back to the other night. The time for ultimatums came, as did the moment of agreement. He hoped that he hadn't made a big mistake. While the thought of the fox women had him on edge, the mysterious nature of the temple bothered him even more.

The choice he made hadn't been easy….. for a number of reasons. Each of the girls had offered some kind of useful specialty, or a level of experience that would come in handy.

_But, he had been only willing to choose one._

That in itself may have been a crucial error. He might not need to do the deed with Kuko, much less any number of other eager kitsune. They may not find anything of value at the temple.

If that were true, there would have been greater safety in larger numbers.

Sighing, he thought back to that night, seeing things as if they were happening all over again. He had spoken his logic out loud, working his way through his choices:

"Anko?" He had started choking. "**No!" **Naruto actually broke out in a sweat. "Let's just leave it at 'no'."

Anko mouthed the word 'please.' That actually had the kitsune shaking her head and turning big soulful eyes on Naruto.

"Anko's out," Naruto swallowed hard when the dark-haired woman took out a dagger and began flipping it. "Kurenai is _very_ experienced," he said, rubbing his chin. "I'll keep her on the list of possibilities for now."

"She's getting to be of the age where she needs pups, too." Kuko said mischievously. "I do not mind taking turns. We can see who pleasures you the best."

Kurenai scowled and opened her mouth. She sighed. The kitsune was **_not_** worth the trouble.

"Uhhhh…." Naruto coughed again. "Sakura is my teammate. We fight _very_ well together." He saw Sakura smile and nod her head, then make a face at Ino. "_But, _we do our best when Kakashi is with us." He pulled at one ear. "We still fight too much…."

"That kind of thing would **_probably_** stop, if you mounted her enough times," Kuko added helpfully, running her tongue over one eye tooth. "I _could_ teach her, helping her be patient and discrete like me."

Sakura's eyes bulged. Ino began chuckling.

"Sakura's out," Naruto said, shrugging. "She's also the one who's responsible for this situation. I don't want her trying too hard to make up for that." He took a step back when Sakura balled up a fist.

"That brings me to Ino and Ten Ten." Those two girls stood impassively, eyes darting to Naruto and Kuko. "They have **_both_** grown very skilled since I was gone." That had both girls grinning.

"But, while Ino's Genjutsu and Ninjutsu have improved greatly, her Taijutsu still lags behind." He gave Sakura a glare when she opened her mouth. "Similarly, Ten Ten's Taijutsu is second only to Lee's and Neji's." He returned that girls nod. "But, her other skills are not as formidable at this time."

Naruto turned to look at Shizune a moment. He tapped his finger against his brow.

"Shizune would be helpful, as she is a better medical ninja than Sakura is." He was about to continue when Kuko interrupted.

"She has also been with more males," She said, after sniffing. "More than _that_ girl has." The kitsune looked over at Sakura, who began blushing. "The younger one is unbroken. Not surprising. Amongst kitsune, a wide forehead is a sign of deformity. We do **_not _**let such females breed."

That had Ino covering her mouth, eyes shut. Sakura had to be restrained by Kurenai.

"If a kitsune's tail were surgically removed in _human_ form, would it also be absent from the fox itself?" Shizune asked in a conversational tone.

Kuko stood still, her mouth working, but no sound coming out.

"Just asking," Shizune said with a smile. She didn't have to be sweet and considerate all of the time.

"As I was **_trying_** to say," Naruto said in a deep voice. "If I predicted a great need for medical treatment, I would over-ride my other concerns and select Sakura, because she has Old Lady Tsunade's temperament and impressive strength." He returned Sakura's smile. "So, I guess that you're out too, Shizune."

Naruto walked over to Hinata, who tried to stand tall, and had stopped rubbing her fingers together.

"Hinata….." He stood studying her for a while, so that everyone began to feel uncomfortable in the silence. "While she won't tell me the particulars….." He gave Kurenai a nasty look. "Kurenai tells me that you were _already_ tempted, but held true."

Hinata nodded, biting her lip.

"And, you have the Hyuuga skills." Naruto scratched the back of his neck, eyes narrowed. "Your ability to visualize chakra **_might_** be very useful when we are faced by unknown creatures."

"There won't be any need to have such concerns," Kuko rushed to put in. "As long as _I'm_ with you." She blew him a kiss.

"So you say," Naruto said, raising one eyebrow. "So…… you……say…." He turned back to Kurenai. "You know Hinata best of all. How have the rest of her skills progressed, aside from the ones that her father and Neji have taught her."

"Very well," the jounin answered. "I never really expected her to make chuunin. Actually, at one point, I wasn't convinced that she would make genin." She smiled, seeing Hinata raise her head and stand a little taller. "Now, I fully expect her to join me in the jounin ranks some day."

"Heh! I am **_not_** surprised. Her Ninja Way is a lot like mine." Naruto nodded his head, thinking back to Hinata's fight with Neji. "But, this mission is not only about _me." _He folded both arms across his chest. "If we meet our objective, could she put the Leaf first and bring the information home, even if it meant leaving her fellow ninja behind?"

Naruto saw a kindred spirit in Hinata, regarding her loyalty to her friends. But, while he could put the mission ahead of his friends if necessary, he didn't know if the white-eyed girl could do the same.

"Absolutely." Kurenai obviously had faith in her former student. "Even y…." She almost let something slip. "Even…… even _yesterday_…… I noticed that change in her."

Kuko grinned. She could mention the white-eyed girl's obvious crush. But, it might be more fun to keep it a secret.

Naruto stood quietly again, eyeing Hinata for a few moments, then Kurenai. He repeated the process a number of times. It was down to those two.

"OK," he finally said. "Hinata it is." He nodded. "The Byakugan may come in very handy."

Hinata blushed. She tried not to smile. There was an important mission at hand. This was _not_ like being asked to a dance or something.

"It's settled, then." Naruto said, after Kurenai and Anko both admitted that he had thought things through very well. "I really think that I should take more…… but…." Naruto shook his head.

Kuko nodded her head vigorously.

"One kitsune is more than enough. _Whatever_…… I uhhh…… end up doing." Naruto jumped when the kitsune grabbed his hand and licked it.

"Want me to tell your fortune?" She asked with a sly grin. "Your turn," she said to Hinata. "Lick the other hand." Her laughter sent chills down Naruto's spine. "The rest belongs to _me. _At least until I'm done with him."

Hinata froze.

The image evaporated. Naruto's thoughts snapped back to the present.

He looked over at Hinata. She had been very quiet during the trip, and had put up with a fair amount of teasing from Kuko. Her small size was no indication of the strength of her spirit.

After tasting the broth, she wrapped some fish that Kuko had caught in large leaves, then placed them on the fire. After that, she began paring fruit.

"Isn't she just so…… domestic…."

Naruto jumped. He hadn't heard the kitsune walk up behind him. Turning around with a grimace on his face, he noted that Kuko had a rabbit in one hand and a partridge in the other.

"I found a lot of bugs too. I ate them. I didn't think you or the girl would want any."

Naruto didn't say anything. That statement reminded him just how different the fox woman was from Hinata and him, despite the fact that she looked like a remarkably beautiful woman at the moment.

Kuko listened for a moment, then smiled, hearing something off in the wooded area.

"Oh! I forgot to mention something. I invited some guests to dinner!" She smiled. Calling over to Hinata she said "_Little sister, _my family is joining us. Make certain the soup is good. They're bringing their own meat."

"**WHAT!**" Naruto stood up. "If this is some kind of trick…."

"Would I do _that?" _Kuko asked. "Yes I would. But **_not_** tonight. I made my deal. They made theirs." She looked over at Hinata. "You brought along one scrawny female. My family can do a _better_ job of protecting you tonight."

Hinata looked over at Kuko, without saying anything.

"Maybe," Naruto replied. "But, Hinata doesn't look scrawny to _me_. And I trust her more than I trust you and your family." He ran his hand through his hair. "When **_she_** speaks, it's usually worth something."

Kuko frowned. Hinata blushed.

"Is the happy couple having a spat?" A voice asked. "Good. That will give them a chance to kiss and make up."

It was Tenko. Soon she and the other five kitsune walked into view.

"You are so lucky, Kuko!" A slender woman said with an eye on Naruto. Her hair was similar in color to Kuko's. "_Oooooh. _I wish it was me…."

"**_Kiko!_**" Tenko's voice snapped like a whip. "You are out of place!" The graceful silver-haired woman turned to look at Naruto. "I apologize for her. She's relatively young. And, Sound Kitsune tend to be a bit skittish."

Naruto felt very uneasy. The unbridled lust and avarice in the fox women's eyes was more than just a little unnerving.

"I see. _Sound Kitsune. _There are different types, then." He looked at Kuko. "Is Kuko a Sound Kitsune as well? That might explain why she seems to be talking most of the time." Naruto ignored the look that Kuko gave him. He wished that the kitsune woman would tone her act down. Looking over at Hinata, he wished that she would talk more.

"No," Tenko smiled, seeing the look on Kuko's face. "Kuko is a Void. A Dark Kitsune." The Celestial fox's eyes shone. "They tend to be the most…… free-spirited…."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. He did not like the sound of 'Dark Kitsune.' Tenko saw that and quickly interjected

"She is no more evil than the rest of us," she told Naruto. "We kitsune are amoral. Good and evil mean little to us. Rather, the concept of right and wrong becomes the deciding factor. And, our view on that might not match up with your own." She nodded to Kuko.

"Yes," Kuko said. "We follow our own code of ethics, adapting the morals of those around us, more for the sake of being accepted than for any other reason. Especially at this time in our cycle." The look she gave Naruto had Hinata dropping the spoon she held.

"Careful _little sister!" _Kuko called out. The other kitsune smiled. Tenko looked at Naruto, sighed, then shrugged, a very human looking gesture.

"Shakko, you may continue." Kuko nodded to a short but voluptuous woman with fire-red hair. "But don't stare at him when you talk. Or drool. He's mine."

"Shakko is a Fire Kitsune," Tenko added. "She has a temper to match." The look she gave Shakko clearly told her to behave.

"Kitsune can be both allies and enemies to the mortals around them," Shakko said, walking closer to Naruto despite Kuko's glare. "If someone offends what a kitsune considers 'correct', they can become evil, malicious, and disruptive." She leaned over and whispered in his ear. "But I would never do that to you."

"**_Shakko!_**" Kuko's tails were back and moving wildly.

"Hmmm? Oh. Sorry. _My bad_," Shakko winked at Naruto. "If someone behaves according to their ethics, they will become polite, kind, and helpful." She smiled and whispered again. "I can be **_very_** helpful."

Kuko walked over and pushed Shakko away. The too stood glowering at one another, each with her four tails whipping back and forth. Shakko's looked to be aflame. Koku's seemed to radiate darkness.

"**ENOUGH!**"

Tenko's voice had Hinata dropping the spoon again. Naruto shook his head. "Girls are troublesome," he drawled, using one of Shikamaru's phrases.

"You don't know the _half_ of it," Tenko said, moving up next to him. "Myself included." She winked, then pointed a finger at the two angry fox women. "That is not the way for _myobu_ to behave!" The edge to her voice had both kitsune bowing low to her.

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Tenko anticipated his question. "Nogitsune, explain for the young mate…… sorry…… for the _young man_…."

"Certainly, Celestial one." A lithe woman with elaborately braided chestnut-colored hair bowed her head. "I am a Spirit Kitsune. Like those here tonight, I am _myobu. _That means I am important enough to have my own minor shrine. If there was royalty among our kind, we would be it."

"Oh," Naruto said. For a moment, his pride swelled up twice normal side. He had _royal _kitsune after his booty! Thinking a minute, he grew more serious, trying to digest everything he had heard.

"So, if one does not step on a kitsune's tail, so to speak…." he chuckled at the look on the fox women's faces. "Then he doesn't have to **_ever_** worry about them acting in evil fashion?" He looked Tenko in the eyes. "I'm not talking simple mischief or minor malevolence."

"That's not true, Naruto-kun." Hinata shrank back some, seeing the look that Tenko gave her. But, she set her chin and continued speaking. "The last king of the _Shang_ Dynasty was brought low by his love for a cruel and beautiful concubine named Daji. After his death, the soldiers who caught and executed Daji were stunned to discover that she was no mortal woman, but a fox."

Kuko stared over at Hinata. She clenched and unclenched her hands.

"According to some tales, the evil Chinese concubine Pao Sze escaped her fate and fled to Japan, where she became a court lady named Tamamo-no-Mae and captured the heart of Emperor Toba."

Some of the kitsune growled when they heard that woman's name. More than one looked down at the ground. Hinata swallowed hard and continued. Naruto was impressed by her courage. After all, the two of them were outnumbered.

"When he began to sicken, suspicious courtiers hatched a plot. They discovered that the elegant Lady Tamamo was a fox in disguise, and chased her across Nasuno Moor until she changed herself into a stone. The stone, the _Sesshoseki_, or Killing Stone, was so imbued with the fox's evil that it killed all who approached it." Hinata finished by saying "She was supposed to have been a golden nine-tailed kitsune."

"We usually do **_not_** speak of them," Tenko said, her voice dripping with venom. "They are a blot on all of our kind." She waved her arm and a small whirlwind surrounded Hinata for a moment. "You should keep in mind that _all_ kitsune are emotional and very vengeful. Kitsune will lose their temper at the slightest provocation. Telling such tales can be considered such."

"Yes," Kuko said. "Once someone has earned a kitsune's enmity, the kitsune will begin enacting revenge that can become **_quite_** extreme."

"Really?" Naruto asked, scowling. "Let's see how true that is." he walked over to Kuko. He kicked dirt on her expensive shoes. "If you're not going to enact revenge on me, then don't think about doing anything to my friend." He kicked on a bit more dirt. "Especially since she's looking out for my benefit."

Kuko fought to contain herself. Then she smiled. "You can see why I really don't want to share him," she said. "He's a handful. But I bet he breaks in **_real_** nice."

Naruto ignored her. He walked over and stood toe to toe with Tenko. There was a potential for a power struggle here, and he could not afford to back down. It was time to be forceful and direct. He would eschew tact for the moment.

All of the kitsune began growling. Some took their natural form, teeth showing. Tenko began glowing with an eerie silver light.

"I am not a play thing," Naruto said. "And I am not impressed by threats."

Hinata saw what he didn't. The kitsune were drawing nearer to him. She prepared to perform Kaiten.

"Hinata is not a scullery maid." Naruto gave Kuko a pointed look. "And, if our village had royalty, her family would be it." That last was directed to Tenko. "She has as much right to speak her mind as anyone else here. Without fear of repercussion."

Naruto was pleased with himself. While he had been confrontational, he had controlled himself. It wasn't easy.

Tenko raised her arm. The other kitsune stopped. Hinata looked to Naruto, heart welling with gratitude.

"You **_do_** have spirit," Tenko said. "Too much for your own good." She smiled. "I admire you for it." Her face went dark suddenly. "But realize _this. _In my own way, I am a match for your Hokage. At the very least."

"So?" Naruto said, shrugging. "Should I call **_you_** 'Granny' too?" He stood looking into the Prime Kitsune's eyes. Neither looked ready to back down.

"Soup's ready," Hinata said, wanting to break the tension.

Tenko closed her eyes. After some time, she smiled. "That small one is wise," she said. "I shall not be offended at her telling a true tale." Looking at Naruto, she continued. "There _have _been kitsune that your kind **_would_** consider purely evil. None of us fit _that_ mold. If we did, you would have been taken…… used as our slave…… then left for dead. Many others in your village would have suffered, too."

Turning away from Naruto, she walked over to Hinata. "I will have some soup, child."

"**Hey! **Hinata's not…." Naruto didn't have a chance to finish.

"It's _alright, _Naruto-kun. She did not mean it as an insult. If you eat enough, perhaps you won't be so spirited." After biting her lip, she bowed to Tenko and filled a bowl for her.

Tenko chuckled, her mood changing. "Are you sure you do not wish to be a kitsune, young one. You have better manners than some others I know. Right, Koryu? Genko?" Her words had a blonde-haired woman and a smaller dark-haired woman shuffling their feet a bit.

_Hinata shook her head._

Naruto's mouth fell open. That was what they had offered Hinata? To be a kitsune….

Koku walked over and took off her shoes. She dumped the dirt on Naruto's head. Bumping him with her hip, she went over and picked up a bowl.

"I'll have some too, _little sister." _She looked back over at Naruto, speaking so only Hinata could hear her. "Maybe if I eat enough, I won't be so spirited either. Though, it **_would_** be simpler if he just wore me out. Know what I mean?"

Hinata's first spoonful missed the bowl.

"You should eat a bit yourself," the kitsune said. "That way he **_might_** pay attention to you after I'm through with him."

Another spoonful hit the ground.

"If you help me work on him for **_me_**…… I'll help you work on him for **_you_**." Koku tossed her hair.

Hinata held the spoon motionless for a moment the shook her head.

"Hmm. You need more courage, if you ever want to win one such as _him. _Together, we could do that. You could have him all the time, except when I am in…… my current state. At those times, he would be mine. He would get variety. We would get him." She looked over at the other kitsune. "Before _others_ did."

Hinata's hands gripped the spoon handles so hard, that her fingers blanched.

"If the words are stuck to your tongue, _I _can tell him how you feel. She smiled a wicked smile. "I can be honest…… or I can embellish things…."

"_N-N_-No…." Hinata looked worried.

"Not to worry, little sister. I promise I won't tell him." Kuko stretched, showing off her full figure. "But, if you wait too long, he may **_never_** develop a taste for you." She reached out and ran her hand over Hinata's hair. "Nice. He _might _like the feel of it. If he doesn't become accustomed to something else." She turned, tossing her hair against Hinata's face as she left.

Hinata stood staring at Kuko as she walked over to speak with other kitsune. With some effort, she looked over to Naruto, who was being pestered by a majority of the fox women.

"It's time for our dance!" Kiko said. "We should all dance _naked_ tonight!" She bit on her lustrous indigo hair as she looked over at Naruto.

"**No!**" Kuko said. "_Absolutely not!"_The look she gave Kiko had the younger woman cringing. "We will keep our clothes on." Then she smiled. "_**Unless**_ we can convince _little_ _sister_ to dance in the nude."

Hinata froze. Not paying attention, she placed her hand on the edge of the glowing pot. Eyes widening in pain, she put her fingers in her mouth. She shook her head 'no'.

"_No fun!" _Koryu said, seconded by Genko.

"But…… it **_could_** be….." Shakko said, running her hands all along her body, licking her lips. "The dance need not be purely ceremonial." She took a few steps towards Naruto, only to be blocked by Kuko. "We could dance with a partner tonight. Much the way the humans do."

_There was no doubt who she intended the partner to be_.

"**NO!**" Kuko shouted, losing her composure for a moment. "Besides, remember your promise. You will _not_ chase after him. Only **_I _**still have that privilege."

"It wouldn't _be_ chasing, if he agreed." Nogitsune said, working her hair into an elaborate bun. "If he became passionate during the dance because of my beauty, that wouldn't be **_my_** doing."

"I don't…." Kuko was cut off.

"Well…… I think it's a _wonderful_ idea. Some opportunities come around only once, even in a life as long as ours. I find the idea charming…… as well as….. _you know_…." Tenko had to look away from Naruto, maintaining her poise. "But, we would have to be **_very_** cautious. If anyone were to cross the line and break their word, she would be banished from the family…..myself included…."

Naruto sat quietly, his eyes narrowed. It wasn't a trick then, given that last comment. Still, he wasn't one for dancing. And, if he **_did _**find himself close to so many attractive women, he might find his resolve weakening.

Too much adoration and desire might be worse than none at all. If he found himself liking it, how would he feel when he was soon forgotten?

All of the kitsune began talking in hushed tones. Some began changing their images, wearing one style of dress or another. Some outfits were centuries out of date, but seemed exciting and mysterious now. There were those that were rather elegant, contrasted to some that were at best indecent.

Hinata looked down at her simple blouse and slacks. She ran her fingers over her chuunin vest.

"Before you get **_too_** excited girls, you forgot one important thing." Tenko looked over at Naruto. "Our young prince must agree. I sense that he is _not_ one for the dance." She smiled, seeing the look on Naruto's face. "It might be a result of the difficult life he has had lead."

At that, all of the kitsune made soothing noises, looking at Naruto with sympathy as well as lust.

"It could be because he does not feel he is skilled enough, and has seen our natural grace." Tenko almost laughed, watching Naruto scowl. "But, I believe we could forgive him almost anything, even clumsiness."

All of the fox women chuckled.

Hinata looked down at her feet, thinking about her own clumsiness.

"I know I will, no matter **_how _**clumsy he is." Kuko grew prideful and possessive. "But I'm _not _talking about dancing…."

The comments that the kitsune made after that had Naruto blushing. Hinata swallowed hard. Kurenai had warned her that this might be a difficult mission in ways she didn't expect. The jounin had been right on the mark.

"The young man might _also_ be afraid that he wouldn't be able to resist us…… might even find himself desiring us…… if he gets too close, smells our scent, and feels our warm bodies pressed against his." Tenko winked at Naruto, who jumped. She was clever, that one. No doubt about it.

"I smell **_very_** nice!" Koryu said.

"And **_I _**am very _very_ warm," Genko added.

Tenko raised her arm, quieting the kitsune, knowing they were all about to sing their own praises, and concerned that things might get too fractious and competitive.

"You may all try to convince him, if you like. _But, _I suspect that if you come on too strong, you might harden his resolve against any such sport." She began braiding her hair with exceptional skill and swiftness. "This will be a good test for you all. Perhaps it is best that you work as a family, _not_ a group of wanton harlots."

Hinata took the fish out of the fire and made up plates for herself and Naruto. She left the remaining pieces wrapped, in case any of the kitsune wanted some. Being considerate in that situation was not difficult.

_It was her way. _

Straining, she also worked to move the hot pot off of the fire, using the ends of her sleeves as pot holders.

"Here, let me help."

It was Naruto. As the fox women all looked on with less than their best graces, he took out a pair of thick gloves from his pouch and grabbed hold of the pot.

"Everyone else is worried about dancing; but **_you_** are the only one worrying about people other than yourself. Myself included." He smiled. "Thank you, Hinata."

Hinata blushed. She looked up into Naruto's blue eyes and opened her mouth. She stayed silent, not knowing just what she wanted to say.

"Yes. Thank you **_so _**very much, _little sister_." Kuko's comment had the kitsune laughing, but for various reasons. Some looked on human females with condescending attitudes. Others realized that Kuko had been stung by Naruto's remark.

After that, the fox women tried various means to convince Naruto to dance with them. He found it hard to eat the soup and fish that Hinata brought him, because he had to keep rejecting their requests. When he refrained from answering, they simply clustered closer around him and began begging.

_They were noisy as individuals; but combined…Geeeez…_

Kuko walked over and cleared them away from Naruto. She sat down next to him on the large fallen tree he had chosen as a seat. She bumped Hinata aside, unhappy to see that the girl had sat down close to Naruto.

"I think that we will just **_have_** to dance and cavort naked, then." She said, nibbling on Naruto's ear. "If you won't dance with us."

"OK. I have no problem with that." Naruto trusted in his own will power. He also knew that this story would put Jiraiya in the infirmary for at least a week. _"Knock yourselves out." _He folded his arms across his chest. "It might actually **_help_** me, finding someone I think is better looking than you." _That last bit ought to bring her down a peg or two._

"_N-N_-Naruto-kun…." Hinata blushed.

Naruto turned a bit red himself, then turned to Hinata and shrugged. He had to do what he had to do. It wasn't **_his_** fault if he would find himself enjoying it.

Kuko looked worried for a moment, but then smiled slyly. She looked at Hinata and rubbed her hands together for a moment. Nodding her head, she stood up and called the other kitsune together.

"Our valiant champion had refused our request. But, he **_has _**said that he will gladly watch us dance naked." The initial disappointment didn't last long. "But, there is one among us whose beauty is beyond ours. We should aspire to be more like _her!"_

Tenko smiled, and then sighed. She knew what Kuko had in mind.

"Huh?" Naruto said. Just what nonsense was Kuko up to _now? _If she was looking for a battle of wit or wills, she might get more than she bargained for.

"Genko, you were the one who spied upon _little sister, _weren't you." Kuko's question had the other kitsune nodding. "And you learned each and every curve and dimple on her body, did you not?" Her question had the dark-haired woman nodding again. "Show us, so we can all copy her form."

"**WHAT!**" Naruto stood up.

Hinata sat, shocked. They couldn't be thinking of doing _that, _could they….

"_Oh!" _Genko said, finally catching onto Kuko's plan. "Here!" She was suddenly naked, and exact replica of Hinata.

"Not bad, _little sister." _She said, looking over at a trembling Hinata. "Right, big guy?" She turned her most wicked smile on Naruto.

_Soon, all of the women had taken on Hinata's form._

"It might be better if the breasts were a bit larger," Kiko said critically.

"I think she should grow her hair longer, too." Koryu added.

"The ass is nice and round though," Genko declared.

"And the…." Shakko never got to say what she had wanted to.

"**_ALRIGHT ALREADY!_**" Naruto stood on the log, his eyes closed. He debated whether it was better to stay like that until he fell asleep, or to agree to their request for dancing.

It might not be wise to sleep at all that night, despite whatever assurances the kitsune gave him. And, if he just closed his eyes and drifted oft into la la land, he wouldn't get to pay Kuko back with a trick of his own.

"You don't like the look of this body?" Kuko asked, her voice rich with mischief.

"**THAT'S NOT IT!**" Naruto answered without thinking. "I never realized that Hinata looked _that _good..." He stopped, swallowing hard. "I mean…… uhhh……"

Hinata blushed yet again. She was mortified by all this. But, it might make her feel better later on, hearing that Naruto thought she was attractive.

Naruto knew he should keep his mouth shut, but couldn't resist getting a dig in at Kuko. It would also help him cover up his embarrasment.

"She may not be as pretty as the bunch of you…… **_ladies_**…… but all things considered, _little sister_…." He bit his tongue. "I mean _Hinata_…. may be the best looking one of you all…." As he finished saying that, he realized that in a way he actually felt that way.

Hinata might not look nearly as good as the fox women... or as good as some of the girls back in Konoha... but too much perfection was a bit overwhelming and intimidating. Besides, Hinata was a good person, and that counted for something too.

"Naruto-kun…." Hinata felt somewhat numb, but a small bit of warmth began spreading through her.

Tenko laughed, finding Naruto's efforts delicious. Kuko was often very full of herself, and it was nice to see someone giving her a run for her money. At that moment, she very much regretted giving her promise to Kurenai. By the look on everyone's face except Kuko, there was little doubt that the other kitsune felt the same way.

"If you **_all_** promise never to take on Hinata's form again, you will see Uzumaki Naruto as your dance partner." Naruto didn't sigh or look defeated. Tenko noticed that, and raised one eyebrow. The other kitsune were too eager to take note. In the blink of an eye, they were all back in their own human forms.

Each of them rushed to make the promise. Then, as they stood expectant, Naruto walked over to the center of the small clearing they had set up camp in. A hush came over the fox women. _Who would he dance with first? _

They all looked at Tenko, who declined that honor.

"If Tenko does not wish first dance, then I believe it should go to **_me_**….. for all of the obvious reasons." Kuko preened. She bit her lip, finding that she was actually exited, not just lustful. Naruto was beginning to effect her on a whole different level.

"It's not a problem," Naruto said, smiling. "I will dance with all of you at the same time!"

A number of shadow clones appeared in the clearing.

"Choose your ladies, men." Naruto said, holding back a laugh. "Be careful. They're rather feisty!" He smiled, seeing the look on everyone's face, the clones included.

Tenko actually clapped her hands together. It was a good trick. No, it was an excellent trick. The boy was far more than just the vessel for Kyuubi.

"I for one would be _honored_ to dance," the Celestial fox said. She walked over to one clone who swallowed hard, held up his arms, then was swept away by the graceful woman.

Hearing that, the other kitsune sighed sadly and followed suit. All except Kuko. She was furious.

"**_You_** should dance with **_me_**," she said to Naruto. "You might actually enjoy it." She smiled at first, but soon narrowed her eyes and clasped her hands together. "If you continue embarrass me before the family, I will not strike back at you." She looked over at Hinata. "But, _others_ may not be so fortunate."

Kuko might not be able to win Naruto's affections, or to seduce him by her looks and mannerisms alone. But, they had their deal. No matter how she acted now, if they found useful information at the temple, he would be _hers._

_Still, she found herself wishing he would come to her of his own choosing._

"If you continue to tryand embarrass Hinata…… I will defend the honor of my fellow ninja." He nodded to Hinata. "I will also defend my friend…."

"_Th-Th_-Thank you, Naruto-kun…." Hinata looked away from Kuko. She gave her fellow shinobi a timid smile.

"I am no one to anger," Kuko said. "Up until now, you have only seen my playful side."

"The same goes for **_me_**," Naruto said. He took out Kuko's _Hoshi-no-tama_ and held it up before her eyes. "Remember _this?" _He concentrated hard for a brief moment. "It would be a shame to lose it." Without warning, he wound up and threw it as hard as he could, up through the tops of the trees across the clearing.

"**_NO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O!_**"

The anguished scream echoed through the forest.

The kitsune all stopped dancing. One by one, the clones popped out of existence.

"What is it, Kuko?" Tenko asked.

"_M-M_-My ball…… he threw it far away….." She was devastated. Taking her fox form, she ran from one side of the clearing to another. "You all must help me find it. I can't lose it. I _can't!" _She dropped down to the ground, quivering, wrapping her tails around her vulpine body. "

_Please…."_

"**Girls!**" Tenkjo's voice snapped like a whip. "We must help her. If that ball were to fall into the wrong hands…."

"Kuko would lose all of her tails and rank!" Shakko said, aghast.

"And some despicable creature could make her do his will….." Kuryo looked horrified.

"How could you **_do_** that!" Nogitsune asked Naruto, her eyes filled with hatred.

"I am no one to anger," Naruto said, echoing Kuko.. "Up until now, you have only seen my playful side." He looked over at Tenko. "But, I am **_not_** stupid. And, I am **_not _**cruel."

He whistled.

A clone dropped down to the ground. A number of copies had taken to the tree tops.

"Nice catch," Naruto said. "At least I _hope_ so." He began to realize what might happen if his trick backfired.

The shadow clone tossed Naruto the star ball before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Seeing how hard Kuko was shaking, Naruto felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't meant to hurt her. All he wanted to do was keep her more in line. Walking over to the kitsune, he thought a moment. He knew his decision was stupid, but he was who he was.

_It was the right thing to do._

"Here. You can keep it. I didn't mean to upset you that much." He placed the _Hoshi-no-tama_ under one of Kuko's paws.

Everyone went completely silent for a number of minuets, making Naruto feel uncomfortable. He wondered if he had broken some serious kitsune taboo or covenant.

Tenko walked slowly over to Naruto, then bowed. She kissed Naruto on the forehead, then went to comfort Kuko.

Hinata looked at Naruto, her heart filled with pride for him. She knew that his surrender of the ball might mean more trouble for herself down the road, but it was worth it, having a chance to see just how special he was.

The other kitsune stood looking at Naruto. Both Nogitsune and Shakko bowed as Tenko had, since the older woman expected it of them. But, both older foxes had a sour expression on their faces, upset at the trick Naruto had played. Nonetheless, being tricksters themselves, they had to admit it was a very effective sleight of hand.

The younger ones also had mixed feelings, but they couldn't resist the way that Naruto's final act tugged at their heartstrings.

"**_Ohhhh. _**Now I want him even more."

"Not as much as _I _do!"

"He's too good for Kuko. _Tenko_ should have him."

"You've really done it now," Kuko said, back on her feet and in human form again. "I **_never_** imagined a human doing what you did. Giving back his power over me when he was not forced to." Her eyes were unreadable. "I _might_ just be able to see myself living as a human woman for a while…… if it was with _you_…."

Naruto found himself feeling very uneasy. He had learned how to deal with the lustful look in Kuko's eyes. But this new look: what was it? Had Kuko started caring about him in some way? If she had, should it matter any?

_And, how could he ever be certain she wasn't trying to trick him in some way?_

"Of course, you did throw the ball and get me upset..." Kuko's posture promised more mischief.

"Let's start the dance again!" Genko said. "That was over too soon."

The other kitsune picked up that cue, and began pestering Naruto again. He swallowed hard, nodding his head. Another group of clones appeared. The women quickly snatched them up.

"Would you…… would you dance with me?" Kuko asked. It was a simple quiet request, something out of character for her.

Naruto sat and thought for a few moments.He found himself wanting to get closer to Kuko. But, he had _always_ been a sucker for acceptance and attention. If dancing with the kitsune toned her behavior down, it would be a good thing. But, if he let her feelings influence his own, he _might_ be setting himself up for a world of hurt.

There was something else to consider. No, _someone_ else. He found himself thinking about Hinata. Not just how she had looked naked…… well it wasn't really her, even though they had all _looked_ like her…… but also about how she had behaved, and how she had been made light of.

"Yes," Naruto said solemnly. "But only after I dance with someone else." He left Kuko and walked over to Hinata, holding out his hand. "I…… I don't _really_ know how to dance, Hinata-chan…."

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata sat confused for a moment. At first, she couldn't believe that Naruto might ask her to dance.

"I thought……" Naruto found this moment even more stressful than the others things he had dealt with that evening.

_Why? _

"I wondered if you might like to…… _you know_…… dance or something." He scratched his head. "With me…."

Hinata felt as if she was about to melt. She couldn't speak. All she could manage to do was nod her head, then smile a shy smile.

It was a surprisingly tender moment. That of course did **_not_** sit well with Naruto's subconscious, which had no experience with such things. He began feeling very uncomfortable for some reason.

_That led to the usual kind of comment._

"You can keep your clothes on, if you like." Naruto said, grinning.

Hinata almost fell over as she was standing up. It might be a special moment for her; but, some things never change.

"_Th-Th_-Thank you, Naruto-kun."


	6. six

The rolling hills just beyond the edge of the thicket looked sunny and inviting.

In actuality, they provided little cover. And, any opponent with the ability to take on the appearance of inanimate objects would have no problem setting up an ambush.

Naruto tried to stifle a yawn as he looked out from his place of concealment. He failed. No one hat gotten any sleep last night. But, it was _not _for the reason he would have expected. Kuko had been too worried about herself to try and make any play on him.

"Do you catch scent of anyone?" he asked Kuko. "I presume that they maintain their usual odor, even when they take shape."

"_N-N-_Not yet…." Kuko trembled, leaning up against him. "But, if they are nearby, they will have certainly caught scent of me."

Hinata yawned too, then blushed when Naruto caught her doing so. She smiled, thinking about the time spent dancing with Naruto. _Fortunately, _they had been able to finish those moments together before everything turned upside down.

Stretching, then finding a more comfortable place to lay in cover, she thought back to the drastic turn of events:

Tenko had barked out a warning, after taking her natural form. All of the other kitsune had immediately ceased their revelry and taken fox form as well. Kuko had shocked Naruto by running and jumping, landing in his arms. She had buried her fox face under Naruto's arm.

Looking very shaken, the Celestial fox had resumed human form for a few moments, after sending the others on their way.

"You will need to break camp and move _immediately_," Tenko had said, her eyes wild and her fingers twitching. "Something unexpected has occurred, and we do _not _want to run afoul of it." She listened a moment, as the other kitsune called out reports. "Having so many kitsune in heat at one spot for so long would not _usually_ be an issue. But, there are males in the area. _Rogue_ males. Kuko will explain when she is able. Take her and move as quickly as you can."

"But… wouldn't she be safer with the family… we could head to the temple _after_ the danger is past…." Naruto tried to reason things out but didn't know enough details.

"Yes, she would," the Prime kitsune answered. "The group of us should be able to protect ourselves. _But_…… if Kuko stayed with us, her urges might subside before you can reach your destination. Your deal would then expire, with _neither_ finding what they want." Tenko barked out some orders to the lesser kitsune.

"Most of the rogues should follow our group. But, if they happen on your trail, they will _not_ cease in their efforts to reach Koku until she leaves her current state." With that, Tenko had vanished.

Kuko resumed human form. She had to fight hard to speak without a stutter. Not waiting for Naruto and Hinata, she took off running.

"Well, I don't see what's so bad about men of your own kind," Naruto had said, keeping pace. "Sure, they don't have the …… _you know_…… but you would have a chance for that child you want."

"_N-N_-No." Kuko replied. "They are looking to mate, but not _be_ mates. The _whole_ group would use me until they are sated." She took fox form again, but maintained the ability to speak. "Not only are rogues outside of the temple, they are also outcasts from the lower ranks of our my kind." The fox picked up speed. "If I were to have a child by a rogue male, I would lose all my status and forfeit all but one tail."

"Why?" Hinata had asked.

"We are _myobu. _When we mate with our own kind, it _must_ be with males from Inari's temple. There is courtship involved, not to mention other annoying traditions. Boring... but, if we want kitsune children, not human babes….the only other way…" She almost mentioned something more, but held her tongue.

"Hmmmm. It _would_ probably keep you from chasing after me any more," Naruto said, feeling a bit dirty even thinking that.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata shook her head.

"_Th-Th_-Thank you, _little sister_." Kuko said. "We should do as Tenko said. We need to keep moving." She sounded frantic. "You _need _to protect me!"

"Really?" Naruto said. "Maybe we should discuss that." All three raced through the tree tops, dashing along at an impressive speed. "Hinata take the point. If you sense anything at all, signal us to stop, then use Byakugan."

"Ai!" Hinata had moved some distance ahead of the other two.

_Fortunately, she had not discovered any trace of an enemy during their flight._

She looked over at Kuko and Naruto when she was finished recalling the events of the previous evening. They had all run hard and long, keeping ahead of anything that might be on their trail. Naruto had relayed the remainder of hisconversation to her when they later came to a stop.

As it turned out, Naruto was _also_ running things through his mind that morning, taking a moment to make certain that he hadn't left Kuko any serious loopholes to play with:

"Why should I interfere in the natural order of things?" Naruto had asked, jumping only to those branches that showed in the moonlight. "_You're_ chasing after _me_. _They're _chasing after _you. _To the winner goes the spoils."

"The _t-t_-temple," Kuko said. "I will have no need for _you, _if they get me with pups. And without me, you will _never _find the temple." There was a catch in her voice. She was frightened.

"Maybe we can change our deal some," Naruto said, trying to be crafty. "Maybe it would be worth your while to take us to the temple, just to keep the males from getting their rogue paws on you." He thumbed his nose. "There are other ways to find out about Akatsuki…."

Kuko faltered. She missed a step and would have fallen, had Naruto not grabbed her arm.

"That's…… _that's_……" For one usually so glib, the kitsune couldn't get her words out. "You promised…… no you didn't…… you _didn't_ promise to go to me with the temple…" She almost missed a leap again. "You only swore to do what must be done _if_ you got there, _and_ found something that helped you."

"Yes." Naruto felt triumphant. He could still get what he needed, without any obligations. While it all felt somewhat underhanded, he had never asked to be put in this situation. "I'm asking you to release me from that vow, and then to have us both make a new one."

He almost faltered himself, looking at things from a different perspective. What if it were Hinata, Sakura, or any of the other girls who were in Kuko's situation?

No.

He was a shinobi of the Leaf. He needed to complete the mission. He also needed to look out for his own life. While the kitsune was not quite an enemy, she was also not quite a friend.

"I…… I will do as I must…." Kuko said, sounding trapped. "I begin to see what it feels like from _your _position…." Taking human form again, she tried to use tears and other tricks to change Naruto's mind, to no avail.

The fox woman promised to take Naruto to the temple in exchange for protection from the male kitsune. She would accompany him inside, to make certain that none of the inhabitants caused him or Hinata any harm. When they were all through there, she would lead them safely back to familiar ground. He did not have to promise to make love to her.

_After giving her oath, she didn't speak again until after sunrise._

His thoughts returning to the current situation, Naruto began to check the inventory of his weapons pouch.

"They will find you by scent," he heard Hinata say to Kuko. "We know that much. But, when they give chase, will it still be based on that, or on what they can see?"

"I hope they do _not _find me!" Koku said. "But, if they give chase, their eyes will guide them when the speed is too fast to use their sense of smell. Otherwise, they will follow my spoor, ready for any trick that I might try."

She leaned heavy against Naruto. "_Normally, _I could probably best two or three of their kind in a fight. But, I will put up no resistance when they get close enough, because of centuries old instincts."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, wrapping a number of explosive kunai.

"In the temples, the males are forbidden to approach us when we are in heat, unless a mating has been formally agreed to. The reason is simple. When a male of our kind approaches us in such a situation, we submit if touched. It is a subconscious prerogative." The kitsune grinned a wicked grin. "Aren't things reversed with _your_ kind, _little sister_. When you corner the one you want, won't he give in to you?"

Momentarily flustered, the white-eyed girl incorrectly primed one seal. She flung the kunei far from her, moments before it exploded.

"S-S-Sorry, Naruto-kun…."

"Hinata! If there are any rogues nearby, that will have given away our location. _Shit." _Wise enough in the way of women to at least know who to blame, he glared at Koku, who just shrugged.

"The fear. It's overwhelmed my usual thoughtful behavior," the kitsune said.

Naruto spat. Then he clenched his fists. "_Ha! _Even if they _have_ caught wind of us, I doubt they know what to expect from Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto stood and struck a pose. "And Hyuuga Hinata," he added, realizing how much of a braggart he must sound like.

"You're _so-o-o-o-o-o-o _brave," Kuko said, standing up herself, giving Naruto a peck on the cheek. "Keep this up, and I _might_ even let you sleep with me." She was still upset after the blonde-haired ninja had used her situation to extract a new deal from her; but, her urges hadn't subsided yet, and she found herself attracted to him for other reasons as well.

"Uhhh…" Naruto just sighed and shook his head. He had remembered to make Kuko promise not to use her powers against him and Hinata, but she was a damsel in distress now, and that carried its own emotional attraction. "_Ehem_….. yes…… I think we should follow Hinata's line of thought."

Kuko smiled, and then ran her hands all over Naruto. She wanted to ask _'which one'_, but had promised not to tell Naruto how Hinata felt. At least, not outright.

It had her chuckling.

_How could the boy be so clueless?_

"Kuko…… stop it!" Naruto said. "You're setting a bad example for Hinata!"

"Good," Kuko said. Despite her flirtations, she trembled some. She was obviously very worried. "It's free of charge. We don't need to change the deal for _that_." The wink she gave Hinata had the smaller woman blushing. "Right, _little sister?"_

"It's _not_ a good time to distract us," Naruto said, trying to sound stern.

"Oh…… so there _are_ good times?" Kuko bumped up against Naruto, and then made it a point to walk away from him, swiveling her hips.

Naruto looked flustered. Hinata took careful note of that fact. Important matters on her mind, she spoke up.

"Naruto-kun, you _could _make a large number of shadow clones, and have them all transform into the shape of Kuko in her fox form." She rubbed her fingers together for a moment. "_M-M_-Maybe…… _ummm_…… maybe if they rubbed against her for a moment or two, they could pick up some scent."

Kuko smiled. After sniffing the air again, to make certain their was no scent of male kitsune, she walked over to Naruto. Before anyone could blink twice, she was standing there naked. "Maybe we should test that, before things get busy…." She began rubbing up against him.

"_Stop that!_" Naruto pushed her away. He then gave Hinata a look that clearly said 'Now look what you've done'.

"Or, we _could_ try something else, since your clones only last so long." Saying that, Kuko gave Hinata a smarmy look. "_Little sister _could wear my clothing for a while, then take on my form if they discover us. She could lead them on a merry chase, while we got away." She laughed. "You find the temple. She finds _lov-v-v-e."_

Hinata froze. Naruto just groaned. The kitsune's mischievous attitude was now back with a vengeance.

Thinking for a moment, Naruto spoke up, a particular point in mind.

"Uh huh. Thank you for your _helpful_ suggestion. It brings to mind an important fact." He folded his arms over his chest. "I will protect you as long as Hinata is safe. If you are both in danger, I will protect _her_ first."

Kuko's smile quickly vanished. "But I was just…."

"Fine. But I am _not _joking. She is my fellow shinobi, and my friend. You are a trickster who came trying to get something from me. I don't suggest you place us in any situation that makes me choose between the two of you." He furrowed his brows. "You would lose."

Hinata blushed. But, she stood up straighter and spoke.

"_Th_-Thank you, Naruto-kun." She took a deep breath. "But, you are wrong."

"What?" Naruto looked incredulous.

"Your first duty…… _our_ first duty…… is to the mission…… and our village…." Hinata twiddled her fingers together, wishing she could outgrow that childish habit. "If there is important information at the temple, then you _must_ reach that temple." She hesitated, but continued. "I…… I will protect myself…."

"_Little sister," _Koku said, looking at Hinata in a new light. But, her gratitude only went so far. Hinata was acting as shinobi. She herself would be acting as kitsune.

"OK, Hinata." Naruto rubbed his neck, staring at his fellow ninja. "You really **_are _**someone I could like." He wondered why she blushed like she did. "But, we will _not_ be using you as a diversion. We go as a group…… or we don't go at all…." He looked at Kuko. _"Got me?"_

"_Y-Y_-Yes…." The kitsune nodded.

"And **_you_**, Hinata?" Naruto shook a finger at her. "No heroics. I can protect myself!"

Hinata nodded.

"If we are going to do things as a group," Kuko started. "When you **_do_** finally succumb to my charms, does that mean you will be making pups with _little sister_,too?" She made it a point to stand right in front of Naruto, then bend over. From that position she continued. "That might be fun. And, when the children all grow up, they'll have pets."

Hinata froze. Naruto just sighed.

"Though…" Kuko stretched, and then yawned. "I don't know if human children make the best pets."

"Is it _really _worth it, Hinata?" Naruto asked. "Looking for the information, I mean…."

"I hope so…." Hinata answered quietly.

"_Hmmmmm_…." Kuko walked over and plucked a flower out of the ground. She began pulling off the petals, throwing them on Naruto. "If you prove a good lay, I might be willing to do something _else _that helps your village."

"Should I even bother to ask?" Naruto said, looking at Hinata. Both of them were blushing at the way the fox woman had phrased things.

Hinata shook her head.

"I'll tell you anyway," Kuko said. "You gave back my star ball before our mission was complete. You are protecting me from the rogues. Later, you will give me my pups." She grinned. "I _could_ make it so some of our children were human… in a subsequent mating, of course…"

"Uh huh. And I should want to have children with you because…." Naruto knew that she would tell him anyway.

"You're special, in a _very_ unique way…." Kuko said, not intending to say how. "But, you lack something that some humans have, as I understand it." She looked over at Hinata and smiled. "Blood Limit."

Naruto tensed up.

"One or all of our human children could have special abilities that breed true." Kuko licked her lips. "And, if you chose to mate with other members of my family, who _knows_ what powers might develop." She tossed her hair in coquettish fashion. "Just thinking out loud." She grinned, seeing Naruto's eyes go wide. "The Uzumaki clan…… sort of has a nice ring to it…."

Naruto began coughing.

"We could hire _little sister _to be our cook. Or nanny." Kuko snuggled up against Naruto. "_Ahhhhhh_. Imagine it. Wedded bliss…."

Hinata went cross-eyed for a brief instant.

"Granny Tsuande was right," Naruto said, trying to move away from Kuko. "Kitsune are notorious for seeing a weakness in someone, then aggravating that weakness, or exploiting it."

"Really?" Kuko asked, looked squarely at Hinata. Winking, she leaned over and wrapped her arms around Naruto, giving him a long kiss even as he tried to pry her off. _"N-i-i-i-i-c-e._ Good thing that you don't have a girlfriend who could be jealous of that kind of thing."

Hinata bit her lip. Kuko clearly knew _her_ weakness.

"Yeh, right!" Naruto snorted. "Until _you _started trying to jump me for _uhhh_…… your reasons…… nobody ever paid me much attention. At least, no one has ever made it a point to chase after me before." He shook his head. He thought back to the way that Sakura used to hang all over Sasuke, or the way that Ten Ten always seemed to be at Neji's side nowadays.

Kuko began laughing, looking over at Hinata.

"Oh, so that's funny, _is_ it?" Naruto looked cross. "At least _Hinata's_ not laughing at me."

Hinata swallowed hard. She opened her mouth, but closed it soon after.

"I'm not laughing at _you_," Kuko said, her eyes alit with mirth. "Human women are funny. Unlike we kitsune, some of them see something they want more than anything else, but never make any effort to get it." She sniffed the air again, then resumed. "Which way do you _really_ think is worse?" She gave Hinata a pointed look. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was some girl who likes you, but hasn't told you yet."

"Uh huh. _Sure_. But who knows," Naruto said. "Not too long ago, I thought that kitsune were only myths."

"Ummm…… my mother told tales of kitsune…." Hinata spoke up, her voice sounding shriller than she liked. The conversation was _not_ going in a way that she favored. "But, there was never any mention of _male_ fox people……" Calming herself down, she spoke slower. "Just what _could_ we be up against?"

Kuko's cheerful expression evaporated. "It depends on _why_ the males are rogue. If they are lower caste, then their skills will be mostly that of illusion. Individually, you should be able to resist their power of suggestion…… but if they have managed to work together in coordinated fashion, you could have some trouble…."

Naruto rubbed his chin. Looking over at Hinata, he nodded his head. It was an apt question. The girl might be quiet, but she had a good head on her shoulders.

"If they are higher caste, driven out because of some crime or an ill-advised move against the hierarchy, they could be more dangerous. Elemental powers, akin to the jutsu you human shinobi use, would _not_ be out of the question." Kuko shivered for a moment. Her attempts to distract herself were no longer working.

"We probably have a good chance against them, as long as we keep our head, and work together." Naruto grinned when Hinata shyly gave him thumbs up. ""Are there any males who could be worse than _that?"_

Kuko nodded. "Some outcasts…… both male and female…… include those kitsune discovered to have trained in the discipline of _mikkyo." _Her eyes looked troubled, speaking about that possibility.

"Mikkyo?" Hinata asked.

"Yes," the kisune answered, needing to clear her throat. "Secret teachings. A blend of various philosophies, physical doctrines, meditation techniques, and prohibited religious rituals." She reached out and grabbed the fabric of Naruto's sleeve. "Even a single such adept could conceivably work illusions that you could _never_ see through without my help. Sight, sound, touch, taste, feel…… it would all seem real to you…."

"But there's worse…." Naruto asked, correctly interpreting the look on Koku's face.

The kitsune nodded. "Un… Un… Unfortunately…." She coughed, then spoke more clearly. "They can command forest creatures to do their bidding, either as scouts, spies, or a means to attack or delay." She shivered again. "They also have the ability to drain vitality from those they touch. That's why some legends about my people speak of vampirism."

Hinata stiffened. She made use of her Byakugan.

"Birds, Naruto-kun." She spoke quietly. "In the small clearing we passed through behind us." She stood silently for a moment. "Something put them to wing, but I do not sense a large enemy."

"We should get ready to run if we can, or fight if we must." Naruto ran his hand through his hair. He might not have passed the chuunin exam yet, but there was no doubt who was leading this mission. Sometimes, names and ranks are merely a formality. "I take it these mikkyo kitsune have no reason to be this close to human habitations?"

Kuko didn't answer right away.

"Kuko?" Naruto asked.

"You said my name…." The kitsune purred, then leaned against Naruto. But, she was still shivering. "The last time I was at Inari's temple…… I heard something…… but I didn't pay much attention." She shook out her hair, causing Naruto to pull some out of his mouth. "Rumor had it, that some mikkyo rogues were gathering up lesser outcasts, trying to form their own temple villages."

"Near humans?" Hinata asked.

Kuko nodded. "They don't like to be farmers or manufacturers. Disguised as humans, they tend to be traders. But, thievery, exploitation, and extortion are not out of the question. While they wouldn't attack larger villages, small homesteads or enclaves might prove to be temptations."

Naruto and Hinata looked at one another. That was information that the Hokage should hear, just in case strange happenings were reported in the future.

"Well then, let's hope our luck holds out!" Naruto actually relished the idea of a challenge. "Hinata…… anything more?"

"No, Naruto-kun. Not yet."

"So, let me think." Naruto frowned for a moment, his brows furrowed. He wished that Shikamaru was with them at the moment. "When we move out, Hinata and I will flank Kuko, keeping her between us at all times. That should work best." He twitched a moment. Looking over at Hinata, he narrowed his eyes.

"_Wh-Wh_-What is it, Naruto-kun?" Hinata noticed his glance.

"Kuko. Female kitsune sometimes seduce young men," Naruto had stumbled upon a train of thought that needed to be explored. "Do male kitsune ever prey on young women? Human women…."

Kuko chewed on her nails for a few moments.

"**KUKO!**" Naruto began to feel on edge. He wasn't certain whether or not an enemy was approaching, but he had learned to trust this kind of feeling.

"Yes. It is usually through seduction. Unlike we female kitsune, whose mates usually have a wonderful experience…." She ran her hand over Naruto's cheeks. "The woman who lay with male kistune usually end up suffering some kind of terrible pain."

Hinata swallowed hard, then fought to maintain her stoic appearance.

Naruto remained silent, knowing there was more. Kuko was wringing her hands.

"If…… if males were sufficiently excited…… and were denied a female kitsune they scented….. it's possible they could…." The kitsune looked over at Hinata.

"**_Shit!_**" Naruto rammed a kunai into a tree. "That's just _great_. I'm glad you thought to mention that without being asked." His sarcasm had Kuko cringing for a moment. "OK. Hinata up front. Kuko in the middle. I bring up the rear."

Naruto cursed under his breath. Just when the new oath made it seem like things were going his way, things had to take an unexpected turn. He had been worried most about the temple and its denizens. It had been difficult dealing with Kuko's advances.

Now, he had to worry about Hinata's virtue as well.

It was possible that there were no male kitsune on their trail any more. They may have all gone after the scent of the family. And, if there _were_ kitsune after him and the girls, they were most likely no account male rogues.

_But, as was often the case in his profession, there was a great deal of uncertainty to deal with._

"I _should_ have just stayed home and locked myself away in a vault for a while," Naruto said in a sour tone of voice.

"_Good idea!" _Kuko managed a bit of her usual spark. "That way, there would have been no way for anyone to interrupt us." She tried for a quick kiss, but Naruto pulled a prickly bush over his face. That had the kitsune cursing.

Naruto looked over at Hinata.

"It's her nature, Naruto-kun." The white-eyed ninja did not look too pleased herself.

"_Little sister _is clever, isn't she?" Kuko chuckled. "When _I'm_ gone…." She pushed the vegetation aside and managed to nip Naruto's ear. "_If _I ever decide to leave you…." Trying again, she had to spit out a mouthful of leaves. "She might make a good…."

The kitsune left things hanging there. Hinata busied herself by checking the tools of her trade again, keeping her face turned away from Naruto.

Naruto thought a moment, and then worked _Kage Bunshin. _He then gave his shadow clones their instructions.

"You guys go out in all directions. Do _not_ return unless you find something. And if you _do_ make a discovery, make certain you do not lead anyone back to us."

When the clones had left, he spoke to the two girls.

"We could wait here all day I guess, but that won't serve any of our purposes. Tenko said that Kuko's….. _uhhh_…… urges might decline to the point that we would have done all this for nothing."

"_Mmmmm Hmmmm_…." Kuko licked her lips. "I'd _hate_ for them to go to waste…."

"I'm ready when you are, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, speaking about their mission.

"Should I write that down for him?" Kuko said, winking at Hinata. "Men have terrible memories, you know…."

Hinata froze. Finding her tongue, she said "I meant…."

Kuko suddenly went stiff herself. She changed into her fox form, and started moving nervously in one direction, then the next.

"Kon Kon!" A call came from the forest behind them.

"_Kon Kon Kon!" _That second call came from a position further to the east, but closer.

"**KON…… KON…… KON…… KONKONKON_KON-N-N-N-N_**..." The third call came from the west, closer still.

"What the hell is _that?" _Naruto asked. Kuko's ears folded back against her fox head.

Hinata used her Blood Limit talents without locating anything.

"_M-M_-Males…" Kuko stammered. "Mikkyo…."

"Of course," Naruto said before spitting. "Just our luck…"


	7. seven

**A/N:**

_I'm wondering what you mean by "kon."_

In some sources, the call a fox makes is supposed to be 'kon kon,' in stead of 'kitsu kitsu' as others might claim.

_Why do the kitsune like naruto normal even without kyuubi... that' s sorta... um messed up_

Huh? This is Earth calling! Kyuubi is always there inside of Naruto.

_Oh for Christ's sakes, BANG THEM ALL already!_

Repeat after me: it's only a story…… it's only a story…

_Too many naked girls..._

Bite your tongue.

_Aw... Why you gotta be so mean with the teaser!_

That's my Author Way

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The great spars of rock jutted out of the ground like the prows of giant ships.

Large weeping trees looked something like billowing sails as the breeze set their branched moving.

A damp rich smell filled the small shaded alcove they all took refuge in. But, for the moment, there was no scent of an enemy.

_The subtle acrid stench of a male kitsune in battle had barely registered on Naruto during the initial fights, but it was an odor he would never forget._

Leaning his back against the cold rock, he tried to slow his breathing, while he waited to regain some chakra. He hoped that Kyuubi's energy would help in the healing process as it often had in the past. Nonetheless, he had a number of nasty wounds that needed tending to.

Looking over near the base of one tree, he tensed up again, worried. Hinata lay prone, unconscious, one sleeve torn off. Her vest had been sliced in two. A moist towel covered her forehead.

Kuko, in human form, bent over the smaller woman, her tails present and assisting in the creation of healing energies. As the kitsune rubbed those tails over Hinata's arm, a large gash stopped bleeding, and the edges of the wound began to knit together.

Naruto knew that nothing had changed in his friend's condition, but he went over to kneel by her side anyway. She had taken a serious blow to the head, and Kuko thought that there had been early internal bleeding.

The fox woman had contained **_that _**injury first, and did everything she knew how to do, in order to help the shinobi who had saved her life. There was a good chance that Hinata would recover completely…… but there was _also_ a fair chance that she would die.

"Hinata," Natuto said, knowing that she couldn't hear him. "Hinata, you were _great_." He adjusted the towel on her head. "You were very brave." Eyes burning, he looked down at her body. She seemed so small.

_But, she had surprised them all, even him._

Naruto took out some bandages and began working on his own wounds. Looking down at Hinata again, he furrowed his brow and thought a moment.

"Her injuries are too severe for us to continue this journey. After I kill that last bastard, it will be time to take her back to Konoha."

Naruto felt guilty, but **_not_** because of his performance in the battle. He had been occupied with a number of opponents, and could not have helped Hinata and Kuko at the crucial moment. He felt foolish because he had chosen to bring only one other ninja with him.

_If Sakura or Shizune were here, they may have been able to aid Kuko._

It was a miracle of good fortune that the kitsune was skilled in the healing arts, serving her family in that capacity.

"We are closer to the temple," Kuko said. "And, there are healers there whose powers **_far_** eclipse my own. If we are fortunate, she will be able to move on her own in a little while, without putting herself at further risk. _But, _she will be unable to fight." The fox woman put her hand to her sweaty brow. She looked exhausted. "I have used all of the healing ability I have."

Naruto grunted. He looked out over the vast expanse of meadow that lay around them, wondering where the last and strongest of the rogue males lay in wait.

He and Hinata had begun their small private war amongst the tall trees at the fringe of the forest. When the fighting allowed, they made their way across open ground, doing their best to keep Kuko and each other safe.

"She…… _little sister _took the strike meant for me…." The kitsune placed her hand on Hinata's head and closed her eyes. "I **_never_** thought that one of the males would have tried to kill me, if they couldn't get what they wanted. There _may_ be more going on than I thought."

Naruto looked at the bandages in his hands. They would be more for show than anything else. He would rub them against some of Hinata's blood-soaked clothing to color them, to make it look as if he was more severely injured than he really was.

"I'm not interested in **_that. _**Not one bit. It's _Hinata_ that matters now."

"You took some serious wounds while shielding me." Kuko's look was still lustful, but there was a strong look of gratitude and wonder on her face. "Will having the Kyuubi within you help with your healing?"

"Yes," Naruto said. Glancing over at Hinata again, he began reliving the final attack in his mind. His arrival had been just a moment too late. Rasengan had turned one high caste rogue into a bloody smear against a large rock outcrop, but not before the kitsune had swiped at Kuko, and had used an elemental jutsu to lift a huge chunk of earth in the air, then bring it crashing downward.

Hinata had pushed Kuko out of the way, and then used _Kaiten. _Her move had saved the kitsune and softened the blow to herself, but she still crumpled to the ground as limp as a rag doll. The swipe had struck before her spinning technique. The plummeting rocks and dirt had been tossed upward at staggered heights, such that the Hyuuga jutsu did not catch them all.

"You…… you were pretty amazing, yourself…." Kuko said, sitting down hard, staring at Naruto, trying to keep her urges in check. Now was **_not_** the time to be pawing at him or breathing in his ear. "I didn't realize…… I never would have guessed that a young human could be _that _powerful. Even one with the Nine Tails demon inside."

Naruto spat. He almost had his breath back. His side hurt, and his wounds stung, but that would not delay him.

_I_

_n a few minutes, he would take things on the offensive._

"Not amazing enough…." He said, looking at Hinata's prone form. "Maybe not f-cking amazing _at all_…."

He knew he was being too hard on himself. If Kuko's estimates were correct, they had started off by facing by two _mikkyo_ kitsune, three high caste males, and at least six lower cast males. By all rights, the three of them should be captured or dead. The surviving lower caste had eventually run off, seriously injured or not.

**_Kuko_** had done her part to see through illusions. **_He _**had used every jutsu at his command, and had come up with a number of tricks that he would gladly brag about someday, if his friend pulled through. **_Hinata_** had fought better than anyone that size had a right to, helping to direct the flow of battle, and finishing off those kitsune who tried to reach Kuko by going through her.

_There was a reason the Hyuuga Blood Limit was coveted by other villages._

"I **_may _**have a little strength left. I should boost the healing on some of your wounds," Kuko staggered, then collapsed to the ground. Naruto put his hands on her shoulders and kept her from trying to get up yet.

"No. That bastard fox needs to earn his keep somehow. And, in a few moments, the stupid son of a bitch had better help me out in _another _way!"

It had taken a beautifully coordinated attack between him and Hinata to take out the first _mikkyo. _He would have to take this one on alone. It was time to see if he could repeat a transformation he had gone through in the past, voluntarily this time.

_He needed every edge he could get!_

Kuko looked up at Naruto, a haunted look in her eyes.

"The two of you risked yourselves because of me. I know…… I know it's part of your mission…." She looked over at Hinata, before continuing. "Maybe…… maybe I **_should_** just go out there alone. If he…. If he gets what he wants…."

Naruto shook his head.

"No. He might want you dead. Even if he _doesn't, _you know what he would do to you." He grimaced, holding one end of a bandage in his teeth as he wrapped his arm. "That won't happen on my watch. Not if **_I _**can help it." He spat a bit of frayed cloth out of his mouth. "And I don't want that asshole to end up hurting someone else some day. Human or otherwise."

Kuko bowed her head. She began crying for real this time, her tears making spots on the dry leaf cover.

"_Th-Th_-Thank you…."

Naruto ran through the prior skirmishes in his mind, trying to work on strategy and tactics. This next confrontation may not be slower, but he hoped to make it more deliberate. Both he and his foe would have some idea of what to expect.

However, **_this_** time, he would be vulnerable to illusion. Kuko was too tired to help. Hinata would not be there to use _Byakugan. _If he didn't find some way to counter the kitsune's powers, the fight might not last very long.

He scanned the horizon again. Why wasn't the male attacking? Maybe he wasn't aware how injured Hinata was, or how weak Kuko had become. In any case, there was little time to waste.

It was time to turn inward.

**I WONDERED HOW LONG IT WOULD BE, BEFORE YOU CAME CRAWLING BEFORE ME.**

"Good for you." Naruto said, curtly.

He knew he was the one asking for something, but he was in no mood to beg or walk carefully.

**YOU HAVE RUN A GOOD RACE SO FAR. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD SIMPLY SURRENDER.**

"Do you want to _die_, bastard fox? I'm going to rip that kitsune's guts out and hang him with them."

Mentally, Naruto spat.

Leave it to the damn demon to side with another fox,

**I WAS _NOT _REFERRING TO THE MALE, INSECT.**

The youma's laughter echoed like successive bursts of thunder.

Naruto clenched his fist. Obviously, he wasn't going to hear the end of this. But, he was in no mood for bullshit.

He got right to the point.

"When I fought with Haku, your chakra transformed me. The same thing happened when I fought that Uchiha bastard. I changed. I was stronger. I want that again."

**WHY SHOULD I ENCOURAGE SUCH IDIOCY? IF YOU RUN, THE MIKKYU WILL NOT FOLLOW. THE OTHERS MEAN NOTHING TO ME.**

Naruto began to tremble in rage.

"They mean something to _me, _stupid fox. Unlike you, I worry about people other than myself. Get used to it. It's **_not_** going to change."

He made an effort to calm himself down. Kyuubi no doubt knew where the conversation was going. The demon might be getting what little kicks it could by yanking his chain.

"I live, and you live. I die, and you die. If there's a chance that you could break free some day… wouldn't it be _terrible_, if you died before that..."

There was silence after that. After a few moments, the great youma replied.

**I DO NOT WISH TO AID ONE SUCH AS YOU, BUT HAVE LITTLE CHOICE. PERHAPS THE CHANGE WILL GIVE YOU FOX INSTINCTS AS WELL. IF YOU MATE WITH THE FEMALE, YOU CAN FIGHT AND GO HOME.**

That answer had Naruto swallowing hard.

Was Kyuubi just trying to score a few points, or _might_ the change work against him in the way alluded to?

It didn't matter. The bottom line was obvious. This was about life and death now.

Scratching his head, he realized that there was more he needed.

"You must know what I'm up against. I can't see through that kind of illusion. Can you?"

**CERTAINLY. ANY INTELLIGENT BEING WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO, CRETIN. IT IS NOT MY FAULT YOU ARE DEFICIENT**.

Just once, it would be nice not to get a reaming when he was forced to approach Kyuubi.

"Is it possible for you to make me see through illusions?"

He kept his mental fingers crossed.

**IT CAN BE DONE, IF YOU VOLUNTARILY RELINQUISH SOME CONTROL TO ME, WORM.**

"Shit!" Naruto put his hands on his hips, wondering if it was wise to give the demon even the slightest amount of freedom. "You probably won't turn things completely back to me after the fight. Or, you'll have me hop on Kuko and bang her until she's blue in the face."

He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.

Nevertheless, part of him started thinking about the scenario he suggested.

Kyuubi's laughter returned, then faded away.

**YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH CONTROL TO PREVENT THAT. OF COURSE, ONE AS CRAVEN AS YOU COULD USE ME AS AN EXCUSE, THEN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS **

Naruto swallowed hard. This was _not _the time for old schoolboy fantasies. Those never brought real consequences.

Kyuubi's reference to excuses had him puzzled at first. Then, it came to him. The demon had meant that he could make excuses to Hinata.

_Why? _

The question had him feeling exceedingly uncomfortable for some reason. It was probably because Hinata lay wounded, and he was wasting time with selfish daydreams.

_Right?_

He shook his head. The only way such an excuse would work was if he told Hinata about Kyuubi. And, if he **_did_** choose to become intimate with the kitsune, it was _his_ business.

"OK. Let's do it!" He thumped his chest. Suddenly, he twitched. "I mean…… _uhhh_…… the part about me seeing through illusions…."

Naruto returned to his usual state of mind. He felt uncomfortable about turning even the slightest bit of control over to Nine Tails. Neither he, nor Hinata or Kuko, were worth enough to put the village at risk. But, he was confident that this should fall short of any such danger.

He found Kuko staring at him, her eyes wide and her lips trembling.

"You were talking with **_him. _**I could feel his presence."

Naruto nodded. Suddenly feeling dizzy, he braced himself against a nearby tree. A great warmth spread throughout him. His breathing became faster, then his eyesight changed subtly. He could hear the sound of Kuko's heartbeat, faster than that of a human woman. The feeling of the air against his skin had smile smiling in pleasure.

Looking down at his hands, he saw that his fingers were slightly longer, tipped with claws.

"Y-Y-You're _beautiful_…." Kuko whispered, moved by Naruto's more beastlike appearance. "_So beautiful."_

Naruto sniffed the air, then shook his head. If Kuko's actions didn't tell him she was in rut, her scent certainly would now. He had to fight down his own urges at that moment. If he stayed there with her too long….

"Watch after Hinata."

Slowly, he walked out from cover. It was time for the final show down. He needed to get this done as quickly as possible. If there were other males that had gone elsewhere, there was always the possibility that the battle would broaden in scope if he took too long.

Standing in the open, he would give his opponent a chance to approach and face him. It would be an honorable thing, like something out of the stories he had read as a child.

_Shinobi sometimes did that as well, under certain situations._

The prior encounters had **_not _**gone that route. After the three of them had heard the calls of the male kitsune, the lesser caste foxes had broke from cover and converged on their position. Their actions had been obvious… it was their intent to drive their prey towards the stronger males, who lay in wait beyond the forest.

Naruto had suspected that. Hinata was of like mind herself. Kuko was too frazzled to be think logically.

Instead of fleeing, he had left Hinata to guard Kuko up close, and then ran directly towards the nearest enemy. His means of showing his displeasure had been abrupt and illustrative. Dozens of clones leaped down from the tree tops, kunai at the ready.

_The first rogue fell hard to the ground, his body pierced countless times._

Another low caste male successfully worked an illusion, making it look as if he attacked from different directions. But, Hinata had used her abilities to pinpoint his true location. That allowed Naruto to set the kitsune ablaze with _Katon, Goukakyuu no Jutsu._

Busy herself, Hinata used the _Gentle Fist _to lesson one upstart, operating as best she could against a creature with a chakra system different than humans. A great truth aided her: a damaged heart will hinder males of _many_ species.

After a veritable rain of clone-tossed shuriken set the remaining low caste kitsune on the run, the higher caste males entered the fray, while the two _mikkyu_ slunk about in the background, looking for the most advantageous time to strike.

_The battle after that point had been a blur. _

There had been **_no_** time for strategy. Each threat had to be met and countered between heartbeats. Hinata fought valiantly against kitsune who were seasoned and very skilled, while still managing to call out necessary directions for him.

Before the males had managed to brushed against Kuko, she had been helpful in seeing through illusions as well, though her stuttering kept timing on the knife's edge.

Certain images stood out in his mind. Small explosions of fire sprouting up from the ground like mushrooms made of flame. Rocks rising out of the ground, tripping him up and nearly breaking his ankles. Strong gusts of wind, that knocked him off balance and altered the trajectory of his thrown weapons. Dense clouds of mist, hiding the swift movement of his foes.

He had countered with a number of different jutsu, including _Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu; Doton, Doryuuheki; Katon, Housenka no Jutsu; Kenkaze; _and of course, _Rasengan. _When their continued advance had brought him and his companions into the middle of a wide brook, he had used _Suiton, Daibakufu no Jutsu _and similar techniques.

The _Togeyomi _once again proved to be of minor value, as he refused to let his hair grow like Jiraiya's. But, the _Uzumaki Naruto Rendan _had caught one high caste male by surprise. When the battered kitsune staggered back near Hinata, she had finished him with a brutal backhanded kunai swipe.

That had left Naruto gaping for a moment, watching the blood fountain out of the kitsune's mouth, and seeing the determined look on the white-eyed shinobi's face. But, the tables had been turned when he used the _Harem no Jutsu _at one point, creating naked images of Kuko with her tails. Hinata had been shocked for a moment, then simple shook her head.

It **_could _**have been worse. The image of naked Hinata had also come to mind, and he had been a hair's breadth away from accidentally disguising some of the copies that way as well.

_There were few moments of levity, however._

At one point, Naruto's one arm went numb, soon followed by a leg. That had come as a result of close combat with the first _mikkyo. _The draining touches had been fleeting but effective. The lesson was quite obvious: neither he nor Hinata should stand still for more than two blinks of an eye.

Not long after that, he had been struck by an illusion he couldn't see through. Kuko had begun to call out a warning, but had been scooped up in the arms of one of the males. A sweeping leg kick from Hinata had taken that one Kitsune down. After standing up straight, she had tossed exploding kunei at the _mikkyo_ that had been about to end his life.

The abilities that Kyuubi promised should make **_that_** kind of danger obsolete. Or so he hoped.

Someone stepped into view, passing out of the shadows of a stand of trees located down slope. Naruto strode forcefully towards him, his anticipation for a fight growing with leaps and bounds. He knew that those feelings were more Nine Tail's than his own.

No doubt this was some kind of trick. But, at least he wouldn't have to wander too far from the girls to hunt the jerk.

"I should apologize," the advancing figure said. "I hadn't realized who was in our presence, until long _after_ the fight had begun."

The male kitsune was in human form, resembling a man of Jiraiya's height, but more of Kakashi's build. He wore expensive looking blue robes, embroidered with mythical beasts and arcane-looking symbols. The cap her wore had a rakish tilt to it, and the scarf around his neck gave his appearance a certain flair.

"You must not be talking about _me_," Naruto said, putting his hands together and cracking his knuckles. He ran his tongue over each of his elongated canine teeth.

"Sorry," the mikkyo shrugged. "We do **_not_** pay much attention to the world of men, _except_ where they have things we want. Right now, we find ourselves in just that kind of situation." When the rogue's six tales appeared and began slowly waving, Naruto felt light-headed at first, but easily shook it off.

_Score one for Nine Tails. _

"Of course, whoever you may be in **_your _**world, you are honored by carrying the Kyuubi," the male added.

Light reflected off of moving objects, drawing Naruto's attention. He made it a point not to look too observant, as the kitsune probably thought that he was fooled by the woven glamour. The objects in question were nasty looking knives, one strapped to each of the tails.

"That's a matter of opinion," Naruto said. "So, why are we talking, instead of trying to do each other wrong. I'm not going to underestimate _you_, and you're not going to scare _me_ away."

The kitsune began an even more elaborate illusion. The youma's control of Naruto's senses allowed him to see both the illusion and reality, superimposed upon one another. The rogue male looked as if he was standing still, talking. In actuality, he was circling around Naruto, throwing his voice to one spot.

As he walked, the _mikkyo_ wove successive layers of illusion, and dropped a number of seal-wrapped items on the ground.

"You have something that we…… sorry, after your rather impressive efforts, there's only me…." The kitsune chuckled. "You are guarding something that **_I _**want. I can't figure out why you would be doing so, unless she has you in her thrall."

"_Uh huh. _Maybe she does. Maybe she doesn't." Naruto took out a shuriken and began spinning it nonchalantly at the end of his finger. He gave no indication that he knew where the male was actually standing. "Are you interesting in killing her, or doing the horizontal mambo?"

The kitsune laughed. "You humans, so colorful with your language. Yes, we **_had _**wanted to find release in her. But, in the end, she is one of the _myobu._ Her death will be the first of many of her class. Inari's temple is working against our plans. I would be surprised if she didn't bring you here simply to fight with us, since her people have no true warriors."

Naruto tensed up for a moment. He was **_not_** about to let his suspicions get the better of him. There was no way of telling if what he heard were true or not, but it _would_ give him something to ponder later.

"Her death won't come at **_your_** hand. At least not today, and not until I get what **_I_** am after." Naruto made it a point to yawn then stretch. "I know that must piss you off, since there can't be too many chances to get someone like her away from her place of safety."

"Oh. I _see. _How sad for me." The _mikkyo _yawned himself, then began examining his fingernails. "If you leave me the _myobu, _the matter between us will be over. I will also give you a badge of free passage, so no others of my group do you harm on the way home." His voice suddenly got much harsher. "It is a good offer. That way, you and the human girl can go on living. If you refuse me, I will find… interesting… things to do with the white-eyed one."

"Well, that just goes to show that you really don't know anything about Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto spat at the false image of the rogue. The illusion was so complete, that it seemed as if spittle ran down the kitsune's face. "I promised to protect Kuko, so I really don't have any choice in the matter. But, when you threaten my friend, things become personal." Naruto struck a pose. "Thank you."

The _mikkyo _shook his head.

"Even though you have a great spirit inside of you, you remain nothing but a pathetic human." He took a dagger form a sheath and held it. In the other hand, he clasped a long string of polished stones, each beginning to glow with a lambent light.

"So, you have no problem with killing that great spirit along with me?" Naruto smiled. "I'm beginning to like you after all." He moved, an instant before the kitsune did.

The arcane devices that the rogue male had dropped oriented on Naruto's human chakra, and flew towards him at tremendous speed, exploding when they struck against him. He hit the ground hard, shaken.

Up until this point, Naruto's most difficult battle had been with Sasuke, when he was under the influence of Orochimaru's seal. But, he had been trying to stop his one time team mate, while the runaway had been trying to kill him. Even against opponents that he hated, the young ninja had **_always_** fought to win, or to save someone…… he had **_never _**fought simply to kill.

_With this opponent, things were different._

No, it was not because Hinata was in danger, even though he would give his life to save her. No, it had nothing to do with Kuko, whom he intended to protect, as he had promised. This was because of Kyuubi. The demon's bloodlust filled him, seeming to pulse through his body with each beat of his heart. With greater access to Naruto's senses, the demon fox wanted to bring death and destruction on _any_ scale he could.

There was no doubt whatsoever what Kyuubi would do if he ever gained his freedom.

Tasting Nine Tails's thirst for killing, Naruto missed in his first attack, trying to gain complete control of his body at the last instant. That just would **_not_** do. He would have to let go, and then deal with the consequences later. Two kunei that should have blossomed in his foe's chest just barely missed the dodging kitsune, as six razor-sharp daggers passed over him, one cutting free a small lock of blonde hair.

"**Shit head!**" Naruto's shout was for himself. He attacked again, immediately, hoping to strike before that glowing necklace aided the _mikkyo_ in some form of elemental jutsu. Dozens of clones popped into being, each throwing a shuriken, with some of the spinning weapons actually being clones in disguise.

The trick almost worked. However, the kitsune and spun the beads around his head, causing a blazing spiral of fire to spread away from him, destroying the incoming clones.

"You have some skills," the rogue male said. "In a few years, you _might_ have been a worthy opponent." The kitssune took on the form of mist as a number of surviving clones tossed kunai in his direction. Resuming his natural fox form, he opened his mouth and shot forth a stream of poisoned needles.

Joining hands, Naruto pulled two clones into the path of the projectiles, then leaped upward just as the remaining needles passed near. That had been too close. Airborne, he sent out a wave of suicidal exploding clones, but the six-tailed fox was too nimble, escaping the ninja copies that pursued him.

For the next quarter of an hour……which seemed to stretched on like hours to Naruto……the kitsune changed form almost continuously, all the while tossing one jutsu after another. Rocks jumped out of the earth, caught fire, the streaked towards Naruto like miniature comets. Roots from the thick mats of brush grass formed scraggly hands that grabbed at his ankles. Numerous animals raced towards him from the forest, intended to distract him or cause him to stumble.

The young ninja countered with wall of dirt, blocking the blazing stones. Additional clones were put on animal control, while he himself tried to find an opening for an attack. The _mikkyo_ was as good as anyone he had ever squared off against. This might come down to stamina and determination.

_Or, it might come down to luck._

After Naruto managed to close for a brutal exchange of taijutsu techniques, the kitsune had flashed away a fair distance, blood staining his fine clothing. Snarling, the fox man rubbed some of that blood over the beads, then struck them against the ground.

"Let's end this foolishness, now. Stop pretending you can win!" The _mikkyo_ worked a summoning, causing a large wolverine to appear in front of him. "Kill him. **_Kill the human!_**"

Naruto swallowed hard. Small wolverines were nasty creature, mot something a person wants to stumble across unexpectedly. The summoned beast was ten time his size. It's fangs were nearly as long as his arms.

His first urge was to take it on himself…… to charge it and sink his knives up to their hilt in its fur-shrouded neck…… reveling in the spray of blood. That was Kyuubi's desire, the demon responding as if it were blind to the danger that Naruto faced. Fortunately, the anxious shinobi was able to make his own move at that time.

Biting his thumb, he performed _Kuchiyose no Jutsu._

"_Ha! _Size **_does_** matter, asshole!" He yelled to the kitsune, shaking his fist. Standing on Gama Bunta's warty head, Naruto pointed to the wolverine and shouted "Boss, that guy wants to kick my ass."

"**WHAT IS THIS? IN TROUBLE AGAIN? A WOLVERINE SPIRIT. AHHHHH. THIS SHOULD PROVE INTERESTING.**"

The giant frog drew his blade. As an amphibian, he lacked suitable teeth and claws. The _Gama no Tsurugi Kai _would have to suffice.

The wolverine was dwarfed by the massive frog, just as it had made Naruto seem like a child's play thing. But, if anything, its fury and attitude was far too large for its body. It's speed was nothing short of phenomenal.

Leaving the relative safety of Gama Bunta's head, Naruto flashed towards the ground, intent on dealing with the mikkyo.

_He would trust his back to the Boss Frog._

"I'm a worthy opponent _now!" _He called out, gathering Rasengan. It was too slow of an attack, but there was no harm in trying. The next time he let the kistune see him prepare the spinning chakra, it would be clones doing it, as he attacked from an unexpected direction with a much swifter move. _"I'm _not the one pretending!"

Behind him, Gama Bunta cried out in pain, as his furred adversary avoided the sword swipe.

"**OHHHHH. YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT INDIGNITY!**"

The kitsune ran, but retreated with a purpose. When Naruto followed, the rogue male stopped by a branch of a large stream. Waving his arm, he caused countless fish-shaped forms of water to leap out of the stream, sending them speeding at his enemy.

Naruto dodged as well as he could, but there were too many missiles. They were unbelievably sharp, even though they were aqueous-based. His jumpsuit was shredded in spots, and his blood began running down his arms and legs.

Thrusting Rasengan at the kitsune, he missed when the fox took on the form of a flock of small birds.

It was an amazing illusion. But, with Kyuub's input, Naruto could pick out the one true bird. It was small. It was incredible swift. A difficult target, to say the least. But, **_not _**for a broad wind-based attack!

The bird smacked into a wall of air that Naruto created, bouncing hard to the ground. As the stunned _mikkyo_ took human form, his human adversary pounced. Naruto had meant to use a different attack, but had to force a compromise with Kyuubi, who wanted to tear out the kitsune's throat with his human host's teeth.

"Here's some foolishness for you!" The precedent had been set in the battle with Shukaku. And, he would _never_ forget the indignity of Kakashi's attack when he challenged Team Seven with the bells for the first time.

"**YOU TRIED THAT TRICK ALREADY! HAH!**"

The Frog Boss's shout to his foe preceded the end of that titanic struggle. The sight and sound of a severed wolverine head rolling and bouncing past him did not cause Naruto to pause or move out of the way. Blood splattered his face and clothes, but did not hinder his vision. He enacted the _Konohagakure Furui Taijutsu Suukoujutsu, Itami no Sennen _with an explosive kunai.

His savage joy at the nasty and humiliating trick was short-lived. Just before the detonation, he saw colored fire at the tips of the _mikkyo's_ hands. Somehow, Kyuubi realized that the kitsune was going to try and counter the seal on his host's body. He froze up Naruto's ability to move.

Gama Bunta's tongue knocked the kitsune skyward, just as the explosion took place.

"Thanks, Oyabun!" Naruto shouted to the giant frog.

"**I DID THAT FOR MYSELF, YOUNG ONE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE NOISE THAT JIRAIYA WOULD MAKE, SHOULD I LET YOU BE HARMED. I ALSO HAVE NO WISH TO FACE KYUUBI. **"

"_Yeh! _Boss, I need some oil. Soak that guy!" Naruto pointed to the _mikkyo, _who painfully picked himself off of the ground, a number of his tales dropping singed hairs.

His cheek swelling, Gama Bunta belched forth a huge stream of oily liquid, his part of the _Gama Yuendan. _Naruto used a _Katon_ style jutsu to ignite the material, and then watched as it enveloped the kitsune.

Grinning like a madman, Naruto bit his lip and sucked on the welling blood. Dropping down on all fours, he began speeding towards the _mikkyo, _who had changed form just as he had been struck by the flame. The heat had burned some of the bark off of the massive tree he had become, but he shed that covering and resumed human shape. His skin was seared and sloughing. One eye was closed.

As Naruto's clawed hands tossed up chunks of loam and shredded vegetation, the rogue male closed his eyes and resorted to a last ditch attack. Screaming in terrible pain, he tore out four of his tails and threw them to the ground. An instant later, they took the form of large foxes, just as he himself did.

_The five snarling beasts rushed out to meet the bestial young man._

Each fox performed elemental jutsu. Buffeted and wounded by various attacks, Naruto continue his mindless approach, blood trailing behind him as he leaped.

To the Boss Frog, it looked as if there was a snapping rolling mass of fur and cloth. The vicious physical attacks occurred in rapid succession, too fast to follow. Jutsus and special attacks forgotten, it was a primal struggle, five against one.

When two of the tail-grown kitsune were tossed away from the fight, Gama Bunta acted quickly, striking them with his huge front foot. Soon thereafter, a third furred form was tossed away from the fierce fighting, its back broken and its throat torn out.

At one point, only Naruto and the _mikkyo_ were left. Staggering, the two stood and faced one another. Blood dripped down from Naruto's mouth, covering his chin and throat. Slowly, he licked his lips, his eyes glowing with inhuman pleasure.

Moving its arms, the kitsune tried to work one last technique. Naruto, the beads in hand, wrapped the necklace around his foes' neck, and strangled the final bit of life from him. Victorious, he looked skyward and shouted something inarticulate and barely human.

"**IF THE FOX DEMON IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL, I WILL HAVE TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE.**"

The huge frog loomed over Naruto, lifting one huge foot. He hesitated, hoping for some kind of sign.

Using every bit of will power that remained, Naruto regained total mastery of his body. Knowing he needed to prove it was him in command and not Kyuubi, he chose a simple if undignified approach.

Dropping his trousers, he mooned his summoning.

"**HO HO HO! I GUESS THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION. WHAT AN IMPUDENT GUY!**"

With that, a chuckling Gama Bunta disappeared in a huge cloud of dust and smoke.

Exhausted, and his chakra depleted, Naruto began staggering back up the hill. He hadn't realized just how far the fight had taken him from Hinata and Kuko. For a moment, he was beset by fear, wondering if there could have been other rogue males that showed up during the fight.

Wiping blood from his eyes, he moved as quickly as he could, needing to see that the others were OK.

Walking into the shadows of the huge tree, he saw Kuko turn to face him. She had been sitting near Hinata, who was conscious and sitting, but looking very pale in the face.

The white-eyed girl looked shocked, taking in Naruto's appearance. Seeing him in that transformed state, his facial features and clothing hidden by his blood, she thought at first that he was a kitsune.

"You're alive!" Kuko ran and threw herself on him, not caring if she covered herself with the tacky red fluid.

"_N-N_-Naruto-kun?" Hinata tried to stand, but couldn't.

"Yes, Hinata. It's me. _Why_…." he looked down at his hands, then touched one finger to his sharp canine teeth. "Oh…… **_this_**……"

He froze. Hinata knew nothing of Kyuubi. She had never witnessed his transformed state before.

_What was he going to tell her?_

Kuko pressed her body against Naruto, overtaken by her lust and great relief. With some effort, Naruto managed to peel her off, grimacing in pain before falling to his rump.

"I'm…… I'm sorry…." The kitsune looked stricken for a moment, then ran to get water and bandages.

"Are…… are they _gone, _Naruto-kun?" Hinata stood and wobbled a bit, then fell back down. Undaunted, she slid along the ground until she sat next to Naruto. Shaking a bit, she removed a cloth from her pouch and began dabbing blood off of his face. She fought to remain conscious.

"Yes…… all those that we had come across before." Naruto scratched his head. "You…… you must be wondering….." He looked down at his clawed hands again.

Hinata nodded. Swallowing hard when her own pain made her wince, she continued with her small task.

"You will tell me what you can later, Naruto-kun. I know that." Hinata looked into his eyes, trying hard not to tremble and look away. "I'm just glad that you're safe."

Naruto bowed his head. He would have to think up some answer for Hinata. Touched by her act, he promised himself that he wouldn't lie. But, he also wouldn't tell her about the demon.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan." He said, suddenly feeling very weak. "I'll leave our defense up to _you_ now," he joked, knowing that a child with a rock could finish them both off now.

"_Ai!" _Hinata said weakly, smiling as best she could.


	8. eight

The lone Umbrella Pine was dwarfed by massive cedars.

Its graceful boughs gave rise to countless branches, each of which displayed numerous clusters of scale-like needles, spread out in the form of tiny fans.

Unlike the other trees in that portion of the woodlands, it did **_not_** bend in the strong gusts of wind that pulled at the clothing of the three travelers. **_No_** birds were seen hopping from branch to branch. **_No_ **cracked and chewed nuts and cones littered its base.

"I can help with _little sister," _Kuko said for the twentieth time. Glowering, she watched as Naruto supported the smaller woman, his arm firmly around her back. "You need healing too, you know!" The kitsune was well aware that the young man was firmly on the road to recovery.

"I got her," Naruto said. "This way, I'll _know_ that she's OK." He was very tired, but his wounds had stopped hurting. Hinata stilled grimaced now and again, so he made it a point to take things slowly. "It's a matter of trust."

Hinata looked over at Naruto, glad to have him showing her so much solicitude. She was embarrassed to need help, but realized that Naruto did not look down on her. His earlier praise had caused her to blush for a lengthy period of time.

"I've already told you that I didn't bring you with me to fight _mikkyo!" _Kuko said, stamping her foot. "If I had, we'd _still_ be wandering the forest, looking for rogue males to fight, instead of standing here in front of this tree." Suddenly naked, she walked over and tried to give Naruto a kiss. "I would have though by now that you would have realized my _true _motives." She pinched Naruto's buttock.

"I believe her, Naruto-kun." Hinata looked over at Kuko, thankful for the medical care that she had received. "It **_was _**a close battle. We…… we could easily have lost." She stared at his face, then looked away. "Even as strong as you are."

"Huh!" Naruto scowled. "You're just too nice a person, Hinata. But, maybe you're right. Maybe Kuko only wants to…… _uhhh_…… you know…."

"What should we name out daughter?" Kuko asked, her eyes glowing with mischief. "I've always been partial to 'Reiko.' That has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" She ran to Naruto's side and snuggled against him. "You'll be such a _wonderful_ father."

Naruto sighed. Once Kuko had been certain that he was doing well physically, she had resumed her vamp act with a vengeance.

"Well, if she's _cute_, we should name her Hinata." He had merely been trying to tease Kuko. When Hinata twitched, he checked to see if she was OK.

"I'm…… I'm…… I'm _fine, _Naruto-kun…." For a moment, the white-eyed girl imagined herself holding a blue-eyed baby in her arms. Blushing, she shook her head, trying to clear away that vision. "I think I can walk on my own now."

When Naruto let go of Hinata, he was almost knocked to the ground. Kuko had leaped into his arms. Frowning, he pulled his arms way, letting her fall hard to the ground.

"But…… _I'm_ hurt too, Naruto-kun…." Kuko mimicked Hinata's voice. "I have a broken heart…." She began rubbing her hair against his leg.

"_Geeeez!" _Naruto jumped back, when the kitsune ran her hands up along his leg, fondling an area that had Hinata biting her lip. "How long are kitsune's in heat, any way!"

"It varies," Kuko said, pulling a brush out and running it through her hair. "But, I think I'll always be in heat, when **_you're_** around…." She looked over at Hinata and winked. "I can't help it if you're such a hunk."

That had Naruto cursing under his breath. He had no illusions about the way he looked compared to other guys. And, he knew exactly what drew Kuko and the other females to him.

_Kyuubi._

Thinking about the fox demon, he looked over at Hinata, wondering if she had any suspicions. He had told her that his transformation was part of a new technique, one harnessing the surplus of chakra within him. He had sounded sincere, as he was essentially telling the truth.

"_Little sister_…… how long are human girls in heat?" Kuko smiled wickedly. "How about _you_, for example…."

Hinata began coughing. She looked over at the tree, wishing they could access the portal before sundown. Trying to maintain her composure, she refrained from answering.

"Hinata's a nice girl," Naruto said, knowing that his fellow ninja would just ignore Kuko. "You don't see _her_ traipsing around naked." He froze for a moment, picturing the night around the fire. "Except…… _uhhh_…… when kitsune…… look like her…." He sneaked a look at Hinata involuntarily, then quickly looking away when he saw that she was doing the same.

"_Mmmm hmmmm," _Kuko said, scowling. There was no cute interplay amongst humans allowed. "It's always the quiet ones you have to look out for." She tossed her hair, then blew in Naruto's ear. "They don't come any quieter than _little sister." _She chuckled. "When we're at the temple bathing pools, maybe _she'll _be the one who offers to scrub your back."

"Uhhh…." Naruto pictured the three of them in a large water basin. He blinked rapidly, then coughed.

"That's OK with me, _little sister." _The fox woman said. "I get the front!"

It was Naruto's turn to stare at the tree, wondering just how it could help them reach the temple they sought. He was interested in getting Hinata healed, and finding the information they came for. Bathing was not high on his list.

_The last thing he needed was be naked around Kuko._

"Are you _sure_ we have to wait to use this thing," Naruto said after clearing his throat. "If there were any rogue males who came back from hounding the family, they could have easily trailed us here."

"Yes," Kuko said. "Certain carvings won't appear until the light is just so." She tapped at the bark with one finger. "They should be right about _here."_

"Are trees the way into _your_ place of worship?" Hinata asked. Kuko had been very closed-mouthed about Inari's temple.

"No, _little sister. _We are not nearly so dramatic as the keepers of _Shi Tenno _temples. Though, I **_would _**be grateful if you wouldn't repeat that to the warders of Zocho." Kuko fluffed her hair.

"So, have you been to this temple before? Are there friends of yours there?" Naruto rubbed the side of his neck, looking very suspicious. "I mean…… you know about the tree and everything... right?"

"Aren't you the paranoid type," Kuko said, batting her eyes at Naruto. "It makes you sexy. Right, _little sister?" _She laughed, seeing Hinata make a face. "No, I've never been to this temple before; but, as a member of Inari's temple, I know the secrets of other kami temples."

"_Kami?" _Hinata asked, sitting down and cradling her aching head. "My mother said that some people believed in over eight million kami. Every rock, animal, spring, emotion, quality and even person has a kami associated with it. To some, the spirits of the dead are kami."

Naruto eyed Hinata. She certainly seemed to know a lot. In some ways, she made a better team member than Sakura.

"The notion of kami has become distorted over the centuries," the kitsune answered. "We non-humans have a different view of things." Kuko knew that the two shinobi wanted to hear more. Taking out a mirror and working on her make-up, she kept quiet after saying that.

Naruto looked at Hinata, sticking out his lower lip. The two of them were not oblivious to the kitsune's capricious nature.

"I like **_your _**view on things, Hinata-chan," Naruto said with a straight face. "She's probably just making things up again. Needy women do that, or so my sensei once told me."

Kuko frowned. She knew that Naruto was trying to coerce her into saying more."I wouldn't still be needy, if you would do what needs to be done." Kuko stretched in a provocative manner. "And I don't consider it needy. 'Satisfaction-challenged' sounds _so_ much nicer."

"I'd rather find a hole in a tree first!" Naruto said, fighting to keep his eyes off of the kitsune.

"Oh?" Kuko used her illusion technique. It looked as if she sprouted branches and leaves.

"**Shit!**" Naruto sighed. The last person he had to deal with that was this single-minded had been Sasuke. He had turned out on the losing side of _that_ battle. He hoped that history wouldn't repeat itself, in a distinctly different fashion.

Eventually, Kuko settled down and got back to her narration.

"In our stories, the world was formed when the Void felt fear, longing, and regret, one third of the world arising for each emotion. Then much later _Lady Sun _and her husband _Lord Moon _were born. _Lord Moon _endlessly pursues _Lady Sun _and occasionally he catches her. They had nine children, the _Great Kami_: Hida, Doji, Togashi, Akodo, Shiba, Bayushi, Shinjo, Hantei, and Fu Leng. _Lord Moon _feared that his children would one day defeat him and devoured them before they could grow dangerous to him."

"Great story, huh Hinata?" Naruto put his hands behind his head. "Makes me wish I had a big bowl of shrimp ramen!"

Hinata smiled.

Kuko stared at Naruto for a moment, before continuing. "_Lady Sun _managed to hide Hantei from his father. Hantei bid his time until he could free his siblings in a very messy manner. They all fell from the sky to earth, but the last, Fu Leng, fell in a deep crevice where he would get stuck for a long time, long enough to be corrupted, later becoming the Lord of the Void"

"_Aha!_" Naruto said, pointing. The word 'Void' had caught his attention. "That's who _you _are, Fu Leng!" He turned to Hinata. "Because we saved her, we can just call her Fu."

The kitsune's tails appeared. She looked somewhat agitated. "We don't joke about such things."

"Oh. _Sorry." _Naruto bowed. Then, looking at Hinata, he smiled. "We better stick with Leng, then…."

Hinata smiled. Kuko gave her a nasty look as well.

"As soon as the Children of Sun and Moon touched the Earth, they ceased being divine, or so the stories say. I'm not certain why, since other Kami still retained godlike powers. Inari is counted amongst them. She is the goddess of rice, grain and harvest, and protector of foxes" The kitsune actually preened for a moment, before continuing. "Zocho was also considered a kami by some, as are the other three Guardians."

Naruto stopped laughing, and paid closer attention.

"The Kami also included the Seven _Fortunes_…… Benten……Bishamon…… Daikoku…… Ebisu…… Fukurokujin…… Hotei…… and Jurojin." Kuko said. "Hotei was the Fortune of contentment. I'll be burning an offering to **_him_** at the temple." She blew Naruto a kiss. "Maybe a whole _bunch_ of offerings…."

"And I'll be giving some offerings to the Fortune that gets horny kitsune to give it a rest," Naruto mumbled under his breath.

"I would strongly suggest that you watch what you joke about at the temple," Kuko said, a serious expression on her face. "Zocho and the other Guardians were considered _Wrathful Deities _by some."

The kitsune spoke more about kami in general, not mentioning anything that gave Naruto cause for concern.

"Are there certain ways that visitors must behave?" Hinata saked, being very pragmatic.

"Yes. We will be faced with a number of various stages, before we enter the temple proper. I will instruct you both in what must be done. It would _not_ be wise to act in a defiant manner." She gave Naruto a piercing stare.

"OK. Fine. _Great." _Naruto spat. "I'll be my usual considerate and polite self." He nodded his head, then frowned. "Temples are a pain in the ass." He kicked at a number or rocks. "_What!" _He noticed Hinata staring at him.

"Are you **_sure_** he's the one you really…." Kuko caught herself, before adding 'want to fall in love with you.' "That you really want to trust our lives to?"

Hinata twiddled her fingers, without answering. She had caught the fox woman's near slip. Naruto looked away from the two women, grumbling.

Finally, the time came when the sun turned a warm shade of orange, trying its best to hide behind a series of hills blocked from view by the towering trees. As the rays of light struck the Umbrella Pine in just the right fashion, a number of glowing words appeared, in a language the two shinobi were unfamiliar with.

Kuko took a small gemstone out of her pocket, touching various parts of the tee. As she did so, streaks of colored light ran up the side of the tree, making scattered needles blink and glow like fireflies.

Chanting something in a musical voice, the kitsune kissed the tree, then stepped back. A large archway appeared in the trunk of the broad tree.

"Let's go!" Kuko said, tossing her hair. "This won't last for long."

"First things first," Naruto said, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes. "You **_promise_** to bring us back unharmed, no matter _what_ happens at the temple?"

"Yes," the fox woman answered. "You have my word."

"Alright. Lead on. Hinata, you follow behind me." Naruto took out a number of explosive kunai, just to be on the safe side.

_He did not entirely trust Kuko._

Hinata followed suit, preparing to use _Byakugan._

When the two ninjas followed the fox woman into the darkness, they felt very strange, as if they were weightless. They walked for minutes, a seeming impossibility, given the diameter of the pine. In time, they saw light ahead of them.

Stepping out of the tree, Naruto gaped. The land before them stretched as far as the eye could see, with enormous mountain crags and long swinging rope bridges crossing a series of huge ravines. Fog shrouded the low areas of the rolling meadows, and flocks of colorful birds swirled around them, flying off towards a spectacular edifice.

Perched on the tallest of the hills, an immense five-story pagoda lorded over the whole scene. Rubbing his eyes, the ninja saw that the same view remained. But, there was no countryside that looked like this anywhere near the tree they had walked into.

"It's…… it's so _beautiful_…" Hinata breathed. "Almost…… almost like we're in another world."

"Almost," Kuko said, smiling cryptically. Bumping her hip against Naruto, she pointed. "That is the temple to _Virudhaka, _leader of the Kumbhanda, a class beings including titans, ashura, and some gods. In a number of religions, he is considered the Heavenly General. He is known by many names, including King of Kosala, _Zeng-zhang_, and _Zocho_. As one of the Four Guardian Kings, he is sworn to the protection of the dharma of Buddha Shakyamuni." She pinched Naruto's cheek. "That's a bigger deal than being a Hokage."

Naruto said something extremely rude under his breath.

The three travelers made their way down the hill, across the first rickety bridge, and up a winding trail to the temple. It was hard going, given Hinata's condition. At one point, remembering how he transported Idate during the Fire Race, Naruto put Hinata up on his shoulders.

That did **_not_** sit too well with Kuko, who transformed herself into a donkey, so that Hinata could ride on _her _instead of Naruto.

"Nice ass," Naruto said, smacking the donkey. "In this form..."

Hinata giggled.

"Just wait…." Kuko said, braying.

The huge carved gate to the temple appeared unguarded. Naruto commented on that fact to Kuko, looking around nervously for some kind of fierce beast or a hidden troop of soldiers.

"It's not locked," Kuko said. Resuming her human form, she leaned on the door, causing it to swing open with a long eerie creaking noise. "Anyone is welcome to enter, if they wish. If they have no purpose here…… or come with evil intent…… they will notbe a problem for long." She spoke very sternly. "The same goes for anyone who goes against the rules set forth by the ones who keep the temple…… or anyone who tries to avoid some of the steps needed to gain entry to the inner sanctum."

Naruto and Hinata followed the kitsune inside. Facts and stories regarding the _Four Noble Truths _were written on four huge pillars that held up the peaked ceiling. The elegant writing seemed to have faded over some immense period of time.

'**May all beings know happiness and the causes of happiness'. **

Kuko spoke that, then added "There's someone who can make _me_ happy. You know the cause, don't you little sister?" The kitsune chuckled when Hinata ignored her.

"Ooooh. That one is even better." Kuko read the second Truth:

'**May they never be separate from the highest bliss'**.

"Looks like we'll be together _forever." _Kuko tried unsuccessfully to kiss Naruto.

'**May they be free from suffering and the causes of suffering'.**

Hinata said that, reading off of another pillar. She managed enough spunk to glare at the fox woman.

"Yeh!" Naruto said, thumbing his nose at Kuko. "And check _that _one out." It was his turn to read:

'**May they come to rest in the great equanimity, free from attachment and aversion'**.

"Heh. No attachments!"

"Hmmmm. What do you think about that, _little sister?" _The kitsune raised one eyebrow. "_No_ attachments. _No _boyfriends. _No_ husband." She grinned, seeing Hinata sneek a glance at Naruto. "The perfect life for a shy quiet girl…."

"OK already." Naruto said, weary of the game. "Is there a purpose to this room, or something. Hinata's hurt, if you haven't forgotten."

"No, its just the entry room, a place for visitors to ponder things, before they go any further." Kuko smiled. "The next room is another story. We will need to cleanse our bodies. No exceptions. And, those who wish to enter together must bathe _at the same time." _She pulled a long woven rope, causing a large panel to slide upward.

"Huh?" Naruto said. "Bathe, as in get totally naked and wash in the water."

"_Yup!" _The kitsune got a head start, appearing completely unclothed.

Hinata froze. She looked through the opening, noting that the entire floor of the next room seemed to be one entire shallow pool. There would be no way to duck under the water or crouch down enough to cover her nakedness.

"Let's go. Follow me. If you wait too long, the panel will drop down, separating us." The fox woman smiled. "It _might_ be best that Naruto not see you truly nude," she laughed. "You can catch up with us later. We _could _use a little privacy." She began pulling at Naruto's clothing.

Naruto slapped at Kuko's hands.

Hinata stepped into the next chamber, and took off her clothes, facing away from Naruto. The young man had never seen anyone blush quite that red before.

When Naruto waded into the pool, he tried to look away from the women, but the kitsune kept stepping into his line of vision. Backing away from her, he came rump to rump with Hinata.

"_Group hug!" _Kuko wrapped her arms around the two ninjas, bringing them together face to face. Kissing Naruto, she bumped Hinata away.

"**_Kuko!_**" Naruto began to get angry.

"That angry face won't work when you have an erection," the kitsune said, giggling.

"**WHAT!**" Looking down, Naruto began choking.

"Right, _little sister? _Just look at him." Kuko gleefully watched as Hinata splashed her face repeatedly with the lightly scented mineral water.

The room they were in was hexagonal in shape. One wall held a gilded door, decorated with an etching of a beautiful waterfall, which looked to be filling the pool. On the other wall, small spouts shaped like mythical beasts let water flow into the tile-lined bathing area. Above them, words were painted in fanciful letters.

"Ummm…… look, Naruto-kun…… _ummm_…… the _Five Wonderful Precepts_…." Hinata pointed up at the wall in front of her, holding one such precept. She didn't know what a precept was, but anything that served as a distraction was fine by her.

"Yes…… _uhhh_…… very fascinating…… a good thing to look at when we bathe…." Naruto jumped when Kuko touched him where she shouldn't. Setting his jaw, he dunked her head under the water, but that only gave her an excuse to kiss him where he didn't want to be kissed. "The First Precept reads:

"'**Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life'**."

Naruto pushed a determined Kuko away while he spoke. "That one doesn't sound right for us, Hinata."

"No," Hinata said, peeking to see what the kitsune was doing to Naruto. She blushed when Kuko shouted "caught you peeking!" Rubbing scented oil over her body, she said "The Second Precept reads:

"'**Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth'**."

"I'm an animal…." Kuko said, rubbing her body against Naruto. "And I bet _you_ can be one when you want to…" She said, whispering in his ear.

"Yeh. But I don't belong to you," Naruto said. "You should respect that."

"Oh? Who _should_ he belong to, _little sister? _Any ideas?" Kuko grinned.

"I…… _ummm_…… whoever he wants to…." Hinata busied herself with some perfumed soap, rubbing it in her hair.

"Good answer, Hinata!" Naruto pointed up at another wall. "There we go. The Third Precept. Want to read that one to us, Kuko?"

"No." The kitsune pouted.

"I…… I will, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, before beginning to read:

"'**Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I vow to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love** **and a long-term**….'"

"Whatever. We get the picture. Let's skip over the rest of _that_ one." The kitsune put her hands over Naruto's ears.

" '**I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love** **and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitments and the commitments of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct'."**

"Technically, I'm still a child," Naruto said. "So, no abuse!"

"Hmmmm. Does that mean that you'll get even bigger? I'll have to come around again, when you finish growing." Kuko smirked, seeing Naruto blush.

"I'll do the fourth one, Hinata." Naruto walked and rested his chin and belly against one wall, looking up and reading:

"'**Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering.' **

"Don't say anything, Kuko!"

"Me?" The fox woman looked at Hinata. "Why didn't he mention you too, little sister?"

"Because _she's _a nice girl, like I told you before. She doesn't _need_ to be told this kind of stuff. Yes, Hinata is a real class act. Any way:

'**Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully**, **with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small'**."

"My body is in conflict." Kuko said, trying to pull Naruto away from the wall, grunting.

"I can't turn around right now, Hinata. Can you do the fifth one? And when the hell is the bathing part going to be over?" Naruto shivered when Kuko grabbed him spoon fashion.

"_Ummm_…… the Fifth Precept:

'**Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol** **or any other intoxicant…."**

"Does that mean we can't just get drunk and f-ck like bunnies?" Kuko whispered into Naruto's ear. He turned even redder than Hinata had earlier.

Hinata wondered what Kuko could have said. No. On second thought, it was probably better that she never found out. She smiled when Naruto shoved a bar of soap into the kitsune's mouth, then continued:

"'**I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self-transformation and for the transformation of society'**."

After Hinata spoke the final word, the pool drained and the water stopped flowing. She and Naruto rushed to get dressed then ran through the door when it opened.

They found themselves in a room with a flat sand floor, staring in wonder at the intricate sacred designs worked into the sand by the long sticks and implements hanging on the wall. A large spherical rock lay buried in the sand, surrounded by the path of slate that they would need to walk on. Against the walls, small marble benches were situated near vents that belched forth occasional cloud of visible fumes. Lit bowls of smoking laurel leaves hung from long golden chains.

"This is the room where we need to sit until we see our personal visions, remembering not to share them with anyone else." Kuko walked over to sit on one of the benches, inhaling deeply. _"Ahhhhhhhh…."_

"What is that big rock?" Naruto asked, pointing to the stone. Waiting for an answer, he selected the bench furthest away from the kitsune.

"The Omphalos stone." Kuko replied. In some language or another, it's supposed to mean _'center of the earth'_. One legend tells that the stone was a large meteorite fallen from the sky in deepest antiquity, while another legend says it was the first physical object to emerge on dry land after the waters of the Great Deluge had settled."

Hinata glanced around the peaceful seeming room, looking at intricately painted murals depicting pastoral scenes. Large brass plaques were spread around the periphery of the enclosure, listing the _Five Obstacles _or _Hindrances_ that the temple supplicants should meditate on: Attraction; Aversion; Slothfulness; Arrogance; and Suspiciousness, Doubt, or Uncertainty concerning the _Triratna,_ the three fundamental items of worship.

Sitting on her bench, Kuko smiled. Her look becoming sly, she glanced over at Naruto, after having her vision. Naruto looked somewhat shaken in the midst of his altered consciousness. He looked over at Hinata, scowling at first, then rubbing his chin. Hinata smiled a pure smile, as if her heart were about to burst. She sneaked a look at Naruto, then breathed in more fumes, hoping to have the same vision again.

"Are…… are these visions going to take place…... some day..." The white-eyed girl asked.

"They sometimes do," Kuko said, standing. "And if they do not, they often provide useful information." She looked over at Naruto again. "Time to move into the next room." When the kitsune snuffed out a large colorful beeswax taper burning under a large incense burner, the door opened slowly on its own.

The room they stepped into was lit by countless candles, of every conceivable shape and size. Am oddly shaped pool of water sat in the center of a polished onyx floor, bubbling continuously. Spread throughout the room were small mahogany, teak, and zebrawood tables, each holding a bowl made of some kind of semi-precious stone. The bowls held Curd Yogurt; Durva Grass; Bilva Fruit; Vermilion powder; Mustard Seed; and Ghiwang Medicine, a substance obtained form the intestinal tract of an elephant.

"Those are six of the eight _Auspicious Attractors_," Kuko mentioned. "The other two are the mirrors and right-whorled conchs." Those two items were also present on some of the furniture.

"What's the water all about?" Naruto asked. "Is it just for show, or are we supposed to drink it, toss coins in it, or use it as a place to take a leak?"

Kuko scowled. "Remember what I told you about behaving. Assume you are being listened to at _all _times, until we reach one of the places that guarantee privacy." Tossing her hair, she looked at the spring and spoke. That is the sacred _Castalian Spring_, said to have been created when the great winged-horse that brought Zocho to this world struck the ground with his hoof." She bent over and cupped her hands, drinking the water. "If you have evil intentions towards this temple, the water will poison you."

Hinata followed suit, unworried. Naruto did as well. When the kitsune blew on one of the conchs, seven walls of the octagonal room pivoted, revealing doors on their reverse side. Wondering how the doors could lead anywhere, the two shinobi noticed that they were all made of precious substances.

A ruby door was adorned with three gems shaped like eyes. An emerald door was decorated with rhinoceros horns. A sapphire door was hung with earrings, each set of which belonged to a famous queen. A door carved from diamond was inlayed with other gems, forming a cross. A door made from fused pearls was hung with king's earrings. A door carved from coral was studded with intact coral pieces, each having eight branches. The final door, covered with lapis lazuli, held a number of elephant tusks.

"Do you know which door?" Hinata asked.

"No," Kuko admitted. "But the temple does. Only one will open for us."

"Of course," Naruto said, uncomfortable. It seemed that they were loosing less and less control. Of course, in this kind of situation, **_any_** feeling of control would probably be an illusion. He had a task at hand. There was nothing to do but push onward.

"That is, if _any_ open." The kitsune added.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"If looking in our hearts, we don't find a good reason to be here, touching any of the doors will lead to our deaths." Kuko didn't look concerned. "Unless, of course, one belongs to a temple dedicated to one of the kami." She curtsied, finger on her chin.

"I see," Hinata said. "This place truly does not need guards outside." Her voice didn't waver.

"OK. Let's start trying out some doors!" Naruto tried the coral door with no success. Soon, the others joined him. When Hinata tried the sapphire door, it opened. A pair of the earrings fell to the ground.

"It seems you have earned a prize, for making the correct choice." Kuko said. "Take them without fear. It would be an insult to leave them." Smiling, she walked over to Naruto and grabbed his hand. "I'm not jealous. I already have **_my_** prize." She chuckled when Naruto pulled away.

Hinata picked up the earrings, looking in wonder at the rubies cut in the shape of faceted hearts. Placing them in her pouch, she looked through the door into complete and utter darkness.

"Afraid to walk in?" Kuko asked.

"No." Hinata did so, Naruto right behind her. When all three were in the room, huge bonfires lit on their own, each situated in front of a large fearful-looking statue. Altars were present at the feet of each massive work of jade.

"The fiercest of the four, the pop-eyed one with the blue glazed face, wielding the sword, is Virudhaka_. Zocho." _Kuko looked over at the huge figure, standing with one foot on the head of a snarling demon, and the other foot on the back of the dying beast. The fire in front of that statue flared ever so slightly.

"Ugly son of a bitch," Naruto mumbled.

"Naruto-kun…… _shhhhhhh_…." Hinata put a finger to her mouth.

"That one, with the white face, playing the lute, is Dhritarashtra. Some call him _Chiguo_ or _Jikoku_." The fire in front of that statue crackled, then went quiet.

"Him too," Naruto said, frowning at Hinata.

"Men," Kuko said. "Whatever the species." She pointed to another statue. "The Red-faced one with snake coiling around him is Virupaksha. He is also known as _Guangmu_ or _Komoku_." Its fire danced higher than the others, for the briefest of moments.

Kuko looked over at Naruto.

"**_What?_**" Naruto asked, shrugging.

When the kitsune turned back around, Naruto whispered "Stupid looking bastard. I hate snakes."

Hinata shook her head.

"Finally, we have this one." Kuko pointed to a statue with a white face, an umbrella in his hand, and piles of gold at his feet. "Vaishravana, King of the North, known as Kubera when he is associated with wealth. His Sanskrit name is Dhanada, the Bestower, sometimes known as _Duowen_. He has also been called _Tamon_. His animal is considered to be an ermine or snow weasel." The fourth fire changed color from red to white, then back to red again.

Naruto chose to remain silent that time. He looked around the large circular room, taking note of its polished bloodstone walls. A number of items formed a repetitive theme. There were numerous swords, spears, bows, staffs, lassos, and hammer-like maces. There were also a fair number of flags, banners, and standards.

"This room requires us to **_each_** make an offering. It must be our _own_ choice, with no input from others." Kuko waved her arm. "We can choose any one of the four altars. Nothing says that we must use the same one."

"Is there more you can tell us?" Hinata asked. "What makes a good offering? Is there anything that would cause us to be thrown out or punished?"

"Yeh. Can I give the temple a kitsune as an offering?" Naruto asked, hooking one thumb through a belt loop. "I wouldn't expect to get the gift back."

Kuko stared at Naruto. Hinata smiled, then tried to look uninterested when the fox woman looked at her.

"Offerings please the Guardians, not because they are pleased to receive gifts, but because they delight in the virtue of the givers. That virtue is determined by the quality of their motivation in making the offering. Offerings need not even be material. The best offerings are virtuous accomplishments. The offering of religious practice is what most pleases the deities and creates a bond between them and the practitioner." Kuko smiled, thinking her own thoughts for a moment.

"Won't work for me," Naruto said. _"Next!"_

"Several factors determine the quality of an offering. One is the giver's motivation. Whatever is offered should always have been honestly obtained, for a wrongly acquired object severely detracts from the wholesome quality of giving it. Offerings should always be of the best one has. For example, if food is offered, it should not be bad or rotten on the pretext that no one will eat it. Since the main purpose of making offerings is to reduce avarice, one should do so without a trace of regret. That's as much as I can tell you."

The kitsune walked over to the altar in front of _Tamon_. Saying few whispered words. She took something out of her pouch and placed it on the altar. It was a carved fox she had been given as a child by an instructor at Inari's temple. As she watched, it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Hinata held her earrings in her hand. They were valuable, and could do a great deal to help the underprivileged, were she to sell them in Konoha. That would be good motivation to hold on to them. But, they had been won more by luck than anything else, and really didn't feel like they were hers. She placed them on the altar in front of _Jikoku_, but they stayed there.

"Why?" She asked. Then, she realized that her motive to keep the jeweled items might override the reason to offer them.

Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out a kurenai that she chose never use in battle, unless her very life depended on it. Kurenai had given that to her one day, when she was about to quit her training. Her mentor's gift and words of encouragement had meant even more than Naruto's support during the chuunin exams. That gift disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto sat down, scratching his head and pursing his lips. He emptied all of his bags, pouches, and wallets onto the floor.

"Can I put all of this on, and see what they want to take?" He asked. Hearing Kuko's exasperated sigh, he said "Never mind."

Finally, after a lot of deliberation, he knew what he was going to offer. Now, the question was 'to who?' Since the one guy had his feet forcing down a demon, that was the one for him. It would be his own little way to get back at some of the things that Klyuubi had said before. _Zocho it was!_

"It's the best I have." He placed five 'Buy one bowl of Ramen get one free' coupons on the alter. They disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Maybe you're cool after all," Naruto said, given the ugly statue a thumbs up.

The fire flared.

The blonde-haired ninja was certain that it was a coincidence.

A low-pitched rumbling sound could be heard. The room itself began to turn. When it stopped, a door had been exposed.

"Now we go into the temple proper. You may be the only humans to pass this far in hundreds of years. Follow me, and speak only when spoken to, or if I give you the OK." Kuko lead them into a dark room. When the chamber they had just left rotated again, all light was gone.

After a few moments, two doors opened. A number of low squat figures dressed in long sweeping robes came out, light flooding in behind them. Their faces were not visible behind deep cowls. Their feet could not be seen, as the hem of their temple garb dragged along the ground. No hands extended beyond the ends of the cavernous sleeves.

One being raised its arm. It pointed towards the kitsune. Kuko went and spoke to it in quiet reverent voice for a number of minutes. She reached into her pocket, took out something small that glittered in the light of the doorway, then stepped back, head bowed.

The figure bowed its head. Pointing to Kuko and Naruto, it swept an arm towards one door. Nodding to one of its fellows, it turned and left.

The other similar being walked over to Hinata, touched her on the shoulder, then pointed to the second door. Doing so, it uncovered a scaly hand with three long claw-tipped fingers.

Kuko put her hand over Naruto's mouth. "I am the only one of us who can speak now," she said. "They will take Hinata to be healed. We will wait for her in another part of the temple."

Hinata looked over at Naruto and Kuko. When the kitsune nodded her head, the smaller woman swallowed hard and left with the temple attendant.

After that, Kuko signaled for Naruto to follow her.

They walked through the door.


	9. nine

Each glimpse through an open door gave evidence of great splendor, mysterious secrets, or both.

If the rooms above had been miraculous and awe-inspiring, some of the chambers on this level bordered on indescribable.

_Naruto was curious, wishing he could just walk into those chambers, just to find out what they were all about. _

He caught sight of a huge statue in the shape of an Eight-Legged Lion, covered with mosaic tile. In another room, he saw a large number of tall, thin cowled figures prostrating themselves before a golden idol in the shape of a giant Fur-Bearing Fish. A smaller room had paintings depicting a strange beast, with the head of a crocodile and a body consisting of a huge whorled shell.

"Those rooms are dedicated to the three _Fighters against Disharmony_," Kuko said respectfully. "While they are images of chaos themselves, they are the ones chosen by the gods to fight against disagreement and disharmony. According to myth, they are each supposed to have sprung from the union of two rival animals. Garuda and a lion. Fish and an otter. Snail and a crocodile."

_Naruto was also practical, taking note that the hallways that he and Kuko walked through._

By themselves, the passageways were not so noteworthy, consisting mainly of rough hewn blocks, smoldering torches, and occasional elegant pieces of art and cleansing basins. A row of tall humanoid statues lined one stretch, looking to have been caved from a dull brown stone.

"Be careful **_not_** to touch those statues," Kuko said, stepping out of the way of another one of the squat robed figures. "Those are **_not_** artwork. They are _tulpa._ Others would call them _golems. _Each is a manifestation created by an adept to accomplish a certain task or tasks. They will stand like that whether or not the task is complete. If one has finished its reason for being, it may well have freed itself from its maker's control. . . . . in which case it might be conscious…… mischievous…… _and_ potentially dangerous."

_Mostly, Naruto was concerned about Hinata._

"Is Hinata going to be OK?" The young ninja asked Kuko, having been given permission to speak a good while ago. "She put on a good show; but despite all of your healing, she's hurting pretty bad. And, she's on her own. We've been walking through so many hallways, who knows howfar away she is." He stopped, his eyes widening.

Something had been tugging at his memory, and had finally crystallized. "Those things in the robes…… they were Yakshas, _weren't _they…… and…… and…… it's true that they only eat the flesh of evildoers, _right?"_

The kitsune nodded.

"Yes, they are _yaksha_. Nature spirits, often tricksters. Fond of their riddles. They are considered semi-divine, being both half-god and half-demon. But, I would **_not_** mention that, as demons are the sworn enemy of the temple, and the yaksha are forever repenting their very existence, even though they have dedicated themselves to the proper path."

"_Tricksters? _Like kitsune, you mean…." Naruto narrowed his eyes. "That's not the most comforting thought. I hope you don't try to screw us over!"

Kuko licked her lips, then bumped against Naruto. But, it wasn't with her usually fervor.

"That's **_not_** what I mean!" He lowered his voice, sensing an unseen presence beyond a row of pillars that bordered between the lit areas of the passageway and unseen recesses beyond that. "Can Hinata be trusted with them?"

"If she keeps quiet, and doesn't do anything to anger them, or to pique their curiosity. _Either_ might prompt them to ask riddles." Kuko spoke quietly. "If they challenge you to riddles, you _must _accept, no matter what. Remember that."

"Why?" Naruto said loudly again, swallowing hard when he heard a number of shuffling noises.

"There's a tale I heard that should prove educational. In the _Mahabharata, _the Pandava brothers came upon a lake that was guarded by a Yaksha. The creature demanded that they answer his riddle before drinking the water. Only the eldest brother Yudhistira, paid heed to the Yaksha's demand."

The kitsune took Naruto by the arm and pulled him further down the hallway, just before a number of heads peaked around the pillars.

Some of the heads resembled those of smallish horses. Others were mostly mouth, with small noses and deeply shrunken eyes. Stepping out into the light, the horse-headed creatures had muscular human bodes with enormous scrotums. Following the lead of their companions, the other beings waddled out, giving the two visitors a view of their humongous bellies and short clawed arms. Their feet were not visible, as a strange moving mist hid their lower bodies, if they indeed had any.

"_K-K-Kumbhandas_." Naruto stammered. And… and _p-p-pretas_."

"Yes," Kuko answered, visibly shaken herself. "Your boisterous behavior has attracted them. Stay completely still. Speak slowly and quietly."

"OK," Naruto gulped. "Why are they _here? _They don't look like worshipers, and the rooms we first entered should keep intruders out."

"They are one kind of guard here. Humans are the _least_ of the temple's worries." The kitsune began to breathe more easily when the hideous creatures slowly moved back into the darkness. "It is not uncommon to have demons attack the grounds, or try to get into the sanctum. The same is true for the _rakshasas_, elemental creatures who seek to usurp the powers of the gods, devas, and other more powerful beings."

"**Shit! **It would have been safer if I just stayed home, and paid for a ticket to the Konoha zoo!" Naruto cursed, trying to feel braver. He had become less and less afraid of powerful enemy shinobi over the years. But, supernatural and demonic creatures were a whole different story.

"_Quiet!" _Kuko put her hand of Naruto's mouth and stepped hard on his foot. "Do _not_ risk angering creatures you stand no chance against. It is only by our good fortune…… humans, kistunes, and others……that the beings in kami temples have no design on our plane of existence."

Naruto nodded, "Sorry," he said somewhat humbly.

"That's better," the kitsune said. "Where was I? OK. Enraged, the Yaksha killed all the Pandavas, except Yudhistira. He then asked Yudhistira, _**'What is the greatest wonder of life?'** _To which Yudhishtira replied, **'**_**That every man must one** **day die, yet every man lives as if they were immortal.'**_ Pleased with the reply, the Yaksha blessed Yudhishtira, revived his brothers and gave him rich gifts."

Naruto remained quiet, staring back to where the hidous creatures had been.

"Wait here," Kuko said, seeing a number of Yakshas motioning to her. Bowing, she spoke to them for a short while. When the creatures walked away, the fox woman returned to Naruto.

"Did they have word about Hinata?" The young ninja asked.

"No," Kuko answered. "We are about to cross a large room, then a number of smaller ones, in order to reach the next hallway that we need. In the first room, you will see _apsaras_, beautiful attendants and messengers who are mostly human in appearance. There will also be _gandharvas_, similar looking beings who serve as dancers and musicians. It is their task to wait upon the gods and other powerful beings, none of whom will be present.

"And?" Naruto could tell that there was more, given Kuko's posture and tone of voice.

"Do **_not _**look at them. Do **_not _**smile at them. Do **_not_** speak to then. Do **_not _**accept anything from them." The fox woman paused to let that sink in. "That _last _thing you want to do is bring a god's wrath down on you. Because, it wouldn't be just you."

"You too, huh?" Naruto said, smirking. He wasn't about to do anything to get them in trouble. But, there was nothing wrong with making Kuko nervous.

"And _little sister," _the kitsune said, shaking her finger at him.

"What if I perform _Sexy No Jutsu_…… can I flirt with them, then…… I'd be looking like a girl…." Naruto grinned.

Kuko just ignored him.

Huge stone doors parted when one of the Yakshas touched it with a feathered staff. The creature caused the doors to close again, once Naruto and his companion passed trough them.

The young man was not prepared for the sight that lay before him. He stood transfixed, his jaw dropping and his eyes going very wide.

A throne as big as a house was flanked by two similar seats suitable for someone of average human height. Each was carved out of gold, etched with fabulous mythical scenes. Peacocks walked to and fro in front of all three thrones.

A long table ran the length of the room, dead center, beneath a multitude of hanging oil lamps and suspended incense bowls. Large dishes and platters were stacked with roast fowl, braised beef, and succulent pork. Every manner of side dish and desert foods were present in an elegant arrangement.

Silken pillows covered much of the floor. Large silk curtains hung down from the scalloped ceiling. Exquisite urns and vases were everywhere.

"**_Come_**…… **_on_**…… **_Naruto_**…." Kuko grabbed hold of his arm and started dragging him across the floor. "We should _not _call attention to ourselves…."

What held Naruto spellbound were the eyes.

Huge fans of feathers were held in front of long rows of girls, covering all of their bodies up to their eyes. Those eyes by themselves were exotic and captivating. Making everything even more mesmerizing were the peacock feathers forming the fringe of each fan. They made it look like numerous large eyes were staring at him as well.

"_Beautiful_…." Naruto managed to get out.

The girls began giggling and whispering amongst themselves. One by one, they allowed the fans to drop. Their jewel and embroidered harem clothing gave truth to the adage that a woman can appear more sexy when she wears little, compared to when she wears nothing at all.

Each of their faces was perfect. That word did _not_ do justice to their bodies. When they pouted or blew Naruto kisses, the young ninja felt his knees tremble. When they waved, their bodies bounced in ways that threatened to leave him senseless.

"**Go!**" Kuko had reached into Naruto's weapon's pouch and taken out a kunai. She was prodding him in the behind, using the sharp end. "**_Go_**…… **_go_**…… **_go_**…… **_go_**……_**go!**"_Getting him to move, she grumbled "I bet if one of _them_ walked around you naked, you'd be chasing after her."

Naruto shook his head. "What? Did you say something, Kuko?" He jumped a good three feet in the air when the kunai drew blood.

The women all called out in languages that Naruto didn't understand. The kitsune obviously was acquainted with at least one of them, given her parting remark. "He's not _that_ cute!" After that, she pulled Naruto through the large doors on the opposite wall.

Before reaching another major hallway, the two of them passed through a number of small adjoining rooms, the purpose of which was not apparent in their quick passage.

Each of the rooms had a number of architectural features that caught Naruto's eyes. He asked Kuko about them.

"What are those animal mask things? Are they only for decoration, or can they be used to keep an eye on us?" He didn't like the idea of being under constant scrutiny.

"Those are _yalli, _corrupted from a word for 'fierce monster.' Most are stone carvings like those seen at some human temples." The kitsune pointed around the room. "They usually have the body of a lion and the head of some other beast, most often an elephant; but, they can have other mixes, like lion-headed horses or humans, and the dog-headed ones. In our temple, things like that are only decoration."

"Yeh? Glad to hear it. But it **_never_** hurts to be cautious. For some reason, I feel very much on edge; but, I have no idea why. Maybe I'm worried about Hinata. It could just be because I'm who knows where in a freaky place filled with who knows what, ready to do things to me I'm better off not knowing about."

Kuko had an odd look on her face for a moment, but it was gone before Naruto could make anything of it.

"Ha! Maybe it's just those _apsaras_," Naruto said, putting one hand behind his neck. "_Ahhhh. _Wait to the guys back home hear about them."

The fox woman's eyes narrowed for a moment, but she was soon smiling a sly smile. Moving Naruto along again, she pointed out other mask-like items.

"Those are _Mukha_, which are placed above openings as a form of protection. That ugly demonic-looking one there is a _Kirtimukha." _She grinned. "Look at those protruding eyeballs…… the stout horns…… and the gaping maw with prominent fangs or canine teeth." She looked him up and down. "If you had horns, I'd swear your mother must have seen one while you were in the womb!"

"Yeh. Very funny!" Naruto looked ready to spit, but wisely decided not to.

Passing into a narrow hallway, Naruto walked side by side with Kuko, without her making any effort to touch him or kiss him.

"You know, you haven't tried to jump me for a while. I think I like you better _this_ way!" he expected Kuko to immediately grab him or toss off some kind of glib answer. Instead, she simply sighed. A moment later she spoke.

"My urges have just about dried out. It looks like I go empty-handed, this cycle. First time that ever happened to me." Kuko sounded somewhat down. That had Naruto feeling somewhat guilty, even though he had done what was right for him and his village.

"Well," Naruto said, trying to perk her up by sounding sprightly. "You were up against Uzumaki Naruto, you know. At least you gave it a good run. You tricked Sakura, and did a lot better than Tenko and the rest of your group."

"That's scant consolation," the kitsune said. "We took a risk, all of us focusing on _you. _Each of us will have failed. This is a sad day for the family." She smiled a bit. "But, at least I got to know you. I _still_ find myself liking you…… very much…." She looked away from him.

Naruto rubbed his head, looking up at the ceiling as he walked. "Yes….. _uhhh_…… when you weren't busy trying to put your hands all over me…… I…… you know…… I kind of liked you too."

"_Really?" _The kitsune wiped her eye. "Somehow that makes me feel a little bit better." She stopped and gave Naruto a quizzical look. "Be honest. Did you find me sexually attractive? Did you ever wish that I was a human woman, so that you could share pleasure with me?"

"Hey…… we should probably keep walking…." Naruto coughed. "We want to be at the room, so they can bring Hinata to us when she's ready." He began walking unguided, since the hallway went straight for a while, with no turn-offs.

_Kuko had been the only one to receive directions from the temple attendants._

Kuko just stood still.

"Huh? _Come on, _Kuko! What's wrong?" Naruto swallowed hard, realizing he had begun to sweat a little.

"I think I deserve an answer, Naruto." The kitsune hugged her hair close to her. "It's something a woman needs to know."

"Well…… damn." Naruto clenched his fists. "It's not like it really matters any more…."

"It does to **_me_**. You've won. At least you can be gracious to your fallen enemy." Kuko rubbed her fingers together in a way she had seen Hinata do.

"_Girls!" _Naruto frowned. "OK. Yes. I kind of did. I'm a guy, you know." He looked around, making certain that no one else was listening. "But not just you. Tenko almost had me. Some of the other's were pretty hot. And Hinata…." He twitched. That had slipped out.

Kuko wrinkled her nose for a moment, then smiled another sly smile.

"Let's go then. We're both exhausted. After we meet up with _little sister_, there's still the business of visiting with the Oracle, all available Mediums, and any Yakshas whose duties might give them a good view of the human world. That's the whole reason we came to this temple, **_isn't _**it?"

"_Right!" _By the way he walked, Naruto seemed to be in a much more relaxed mood, almost happy.

When they turned down one particularly ornate-looking hallway, lit by oil amps instead of sputtering torches, a Yaksha stood waiting by one door. Seeing them a approach, the cowled figure opened the door, then pointed within.

The first thing visible when Naruto walked into the room was a large fountain. A majestic winged figure held a vase that poured water into a small sea-shell. From there, the water made its way into the vases of successively larger numbers of figures, placed around the rim of each tired basin. Light surrounded the fountain, but did not highlight anything else, save a large intricate altar carved from a single block of sardonyx.

"Ahhhh! We are **_very_** fortunate. I never thought that they would truly grant my boon." Kuko clapped her hands. "I guess there is some benefit to being from Inari's temple." Kuko ran to kneel by the fountain, then took a drink of water from her cupped hands.

"_Uh huh. _So, what's the fountain for?" Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, stepping out of the way as the Yaksha closed the door. He turned a suspicious eye on the kitsune, but found himself only slightly concerned that she might try some kind of trick.

"It was brought here from the Kingdom of Shambala, a land hidden in high mountains located in our world, far to the north. Though the fountain is in this temple, it still draws forth water from Lesser Manasa Lake and White Lotus Lake, two mystical bodies of water in that land." Kuko cupped her hands again, then drank.

"That's all great. But, what does it _do? _And why should we trust it?" Naruto scratched his head, frowning.

"Shambala is a land dedicated to Shiva. To corrupt the water in an unsanctioned way would be to act against the god himself." The kitsune spoke as if that should be common knowledge.

"OK. So what's the big deal about the water?" The blonde-haired shinobi took a handful of water and smelled it. He touched a small amount to the tip of his tongue.

"We all have inner barriers and mental defilements that limit our awareness and block the proper energy flow through the psychic nervous system. Visiting Shambala…… or performing the mantras of the _Kalachakra, _the Wheel of Time…… or drinking this water……" Kuko took another drink. "...Will break the knots in the chakra system of those who are afflicted, or refresh the chakra of those who are depleted." She closed her eyes and smiled. "For warriors, it was said to make them stronger, and to ensure that they fought only for virtuous reasons."

"Can we put some in our bottles and take it with us? Granny Tsunade might be happy to have some of _this_ stuff to work with." Hesitating a moment more, Naruto drank freely from the water. It had no taste, yet had his sense filling fulfilled to the utmost.

"No. They would notlet us take any. And, the powers it has do not extend beyond this temple." Kuko stood up, and walked over to the alcove behind the altar. Taking a long candle, she lit it, then proceeded to light large lamps throughout the room.

The furnishings of the room became apparent. There were a number of large sleigh-like couches sitting within small rooms demarcated by silken panels. Tables and chairs we also present, with the tables holding bowls and pitchers of food and refreshments. Ornate woven rugs depicted the images of coupling men and women, watched over by various deities.

"The water also helps free the heart, when it is imprisoned by the mind. The _Wish-fulfilling Gem _I asked to have added to the fountain is also an artifact of Shambala. It too will help our innermost minds to liberate themselves." The kitsune stopped, smiling a lustrous smile. She appeared to be dressed in a diaphanous robe, accentuating her curves and high-lighting her most erotic areas. "In short…… I've won…."

"_**What?**" _Naruto suddenly felt as if he were trapped. Walking over to the door, he found that it was locked.

"It cost me a great deal to gain the use of this room, the fountain, and the gem." The kitsune began walking slowly towards Naruto, letting her allure build to the point that it should overwhelm him. "But, I had promised not to use my power of possession or seduction on you, so I had little choice."

"But…… you _said_…." Naruto began to feel strange. His mind felt as if it was growing clearer and cloudier at the same time. He had a hard time focusing on anything but Kuko.

"My urges have just about dried out. It looks like I go empty-handed, this cycle. Yes, I _did_ say that, didn't I." The fox woman wrapped her arms around Naruto and whispered in his ear. "I lied. Or, I prefer to think of it as a trick. I'm a kitsune. It's what we _do_."

"You…… I……" Naruto tried to fight his urges. It was almost like he was in one of his fantasies, where anything could happen without any thought of consequences. "Hinata and I saved you…… you _owe_ us…."

"Yes, you did. And yes I do." Kuko kissed down along his neck, ever so lightly and slowly. She smiled when his heart beat faster. "You could consider this your reward, if you like. Otherwise, it's a lesson learned. You came here to do what you had to do. I came here to do what I must do." She opened her robe, and touched one nipple to his lips. "Mine comes first, so to speak. I'll help you after this."

"But… you can't…" Naruto shook his head, trying to work any and every jutsu he knew without the slightest success.

"We will share pleasure, I will make _certain_ of that. I would give up my hopes for another child if that could not be true, if I was the only one who ended up pleased." She began to ease a numb Naruto out of his clothing. "And we will couple until I am certain that I have conceived."

"No…… this is **_not_** what I want…." Naruto couldn't move his body to push her away, but found his arms strong enough to take her into an embrace.

"_Isn't_ it?" Kuko laughed a chime like laugh. "You admitted it to me in the hallway. You fantasized about it without my knowing. You have no choice but to give in to it now. The water and the gem would fail to work if you did not desire me. It need only be the _slightest_ bit of lust." She nibbled on his ear, causing him to tremble. "Here, the tiniest fire will flare to bonfire. Thanks to that gem."

"There is no way to counter that, unless someone you desire more drinks the water, or the Yaksha block the influence. They will _not_ do so. I promised them a year of service, should your seed fail. If you **_do_** get me with child, I shall bring them rich tithing each time I gain a new tail."

"This is…." Naruto found less and less need to talk. His will to fight weakened more each moment.

"_Shhhhh_. This is not the time for talk. That comes later."

Kuko lead him over to the largest of the couches.


	10. ten

The steady trickle of the fountain could not be heard.

Likewise, the subtle noises that large lamp flames made were lost in the midst of Kuko's calls.

Resting a moment, the kitsune looked down at Naruto and ran her long hair across his chest. She touched him almost possessively, before speaking.

"You are **_very _**fortunate. I am a master in the arts of love. You will be the canvas I express my art upon." She trembled. "My head…… my hands…… my belly…… they feel like they are _on fire. _You are the match. I find myself shuddering like the paper before it ignites."

Naruto was still torn between denial and erotic ecstasy. He strove hard to find comfort in detachment, but he had been rocked down to his very core. Kuko's fervent efforts had touched him physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

_The rush he felt was electric, almost unbearable in its intensity. _

"Still trying to fight it?" The fox woman began her slow movements again, ecstatic to see that Kyuubi's chakra gave the boy immense stamina in more ways than one. "I truly **_love _**a challenge. We could have a union like no other. Just give yourself to me."

The opening of the door surprised them both. The appearance of a Yaksha at the threshold to the room had Kuko's face contorting in rage.

"We had our deal. I was **_not_** to be disturbed until the two of us were completely spent. It is _far_ from that time."

The cowled being walked into the room. He was followed by another of his kind. The third who entered was older than the rest. He pulled his cowl off of his face, showing a visage with demonic and human features.

"You were granted the room," the demi-god said, speaking in a lovely melodic voice that was at odds with his true appearance. _"It is so." _he swept his arm around the room. "You were granted the water of the fountain." He waved his hand in the direction of that structure. _"It is so." _The other two Yakshas left the room. "You were granted the use of one of the sacred jewels." Walking over to the fountain, the creature looked down into the largest basin. _"It is so."_

"But we agreed that I was **_not_** to be interrupted," the kitsune fought to control her temper. It was not wise to anger such a powerful being.

"You were granted a guard by the door. It was agreed, that he would deny entrance to those without temple privileges, and with no reason to enter." The Yaksha looked to the door and nodded to someone out of Kuko's field of vision. _"It is so." _With that, the creature turned and left.

Hinata walked into the room, before the door was closed and locked once more. Her eyes immediately went to the couch where Kuko was still straddling Naruto. There could be no doubt as to what the two had been doing.

"_N-N_-Naruto-kun…."

Hinata brought her hand to her mouth. It felt as if someone had drained the blood from her, and caused all of her organs to form a puddle at her feet.

"_Little sister," _the kitsune practically growled. "You should **_not _**be here. This is none of your accord. They should not have brought you yet."

"Hinata…… I can't stop……the water…… the gem…." Naruto's urges felt as if they had been doused by a waterfall of ice water. But, a glowing ember still remained, and threatened to burst into flame again, at any moment. He moaned when Kuko began moving up and down on him slowly, her eyes speaking of her victory.

Hinata stood trembling. She wanted to close her eyes, making it all go away. But, for some reason, she remembered being on the floor of a small arena in the Forest of Death. Naruto had stood up for her there. She had to face this and stand up for him now.

_Not because of her feelings for him, but because it was the right thing for a shinobi of the Leaf._

"You will leave Naruto-kun alone," Hinata said, advancing.

Kuko stopped in her act. She tossed her hair and looked down into Naruto's face. "He doesn't want me to leave him alone. Not deep down inside. Just ask him."

"Naruto-kun…… is that…… is that what you _r-r-really _want?" The white-eyed girl put her hand over her chest, feeling as if she were about to faint.

"_Yes!" _Naruto practically shouted, his one hand grabbing hold of Kuko's hair. His body shuddered and he drew in a deep breath. "**NO!**" He shouted even louder, releasing his grasp.

"That 'yes' is all that matters here," the fox woman said. "He is male. I am beautiful. Nature has done what it _should_ do." She began moving again, lips parted and eyes closed.

Naruto moved to stop Kuko. That had her eyes opening in anger. She was not about to be denied.

"She's…… she's _so_ beautiful…." Naruto said. "And…… she **_wants_** me…." His voice sounded so anguished next, that it had Hinata biting her lip. "I've…… I've always been so lonely…… no one else has _ever_ wanted me…."

"If you care to watch, you are more than welcome, _little sister. _We have shared so much together, I will gladly grant you that." Kuko's smile clearly said that she was in control, certain that the shy infatuated girl would not do what was necessary to stop her. "You can learn a great deal that way. Consider it a gift."

Hinata looked away. She couldn't believe that his was happening, even though she knew that the risk had always been there. If it had been another girl from Konoha…… or if no tricks were involved…… she would have tried to accept things in her heart, wondering if Naruto might change his mind when he grew older.

_But, this wasn't right._

It was more than that. How could it not be? What Naruto said was **_not_** true. If she told him the truth, would it make a difference? It would be hard to speak what was on her heart, especially with Kuko there, and seeing the two together like that.

When Naruto closed his eyes, grimaced, and reached for the kitsune, Hinata spoke in a rush, needing to get her words out before she changed her mind.

"It isn't true, Naruto-kun." She felt somewhat relieved, simply saying that much. "You were _never_ truly alone…… you have friends….." She was tempted to stop. But, she knew that such a simple truth would not make any difference. "And someone has…… someone has always…… someone has been watching you for a _long_ time." She swallowed hard. "Someone felt so empty when you left the village to train…."

The look that Kuko gave Hinata should have turned the water in the fountain into steam.

"I'm certain it's a very touching story. But, that's all it is, the longings of a shy quiet girl. You cannot offer him what **_I_** do." She began grinding her pelvis against Naruto again, once again frustrated when he moved to stop her. "You can save your confessions for later, if you like. Unless you want to drink from the fountain, and offer him _this." _Her face softened. "I care about him too, you know. That's what will make this so perfect."

"Hinata…… what are you saying…." Naruto managed to pull his eyes off of Kuko, looking over at the smaller woman.

"You don't really want to…." The kitsune made a small squeak of protest when Naruto pushed her off of him.

"Hinata…." Naruto was visibly fighting against his urges.

"I always watched you," Naruto-kun." Hinata looked down at her feet, her hands clasped. "You were my inspiration." She swallowed hard again. "I…… I always…… I always wanted you to notice me…… but not as a shinobi…."

Naked, and glistening with sweat, Kuko hopped down from the ornate couch and began walking towards Hinata, a clear challenge in her eyes. Clenching her hands into fists, Hinata stood her ground.

"_Drink_…… or **_leave_**…." Kuko created balls of fire in each hand. She would fight for her mate, and she would fight for the chance to mate. But, her certainty was her undoing.

Nodding her head, Hinata walked over and kneeled by the fountain. She turned to look over at Naruto again, unable to see his facial features from that distance and angle.

"I will _f-f_-fight you, if I must…." She said. "Nauto. I wanted…… I wanted you to notice me as a girl…… I wanted you to feel about me the way that I feel about you." She stared down at her reflection in the water, well aware that she was nowhere near as beautiful as the fox woman or any of her family members.

"I love you, Naruto-kun." Those last words came out in an inaudible whisper. But, that was all that was necessary. Having braved those words once, she could speak them again. "I'm…… I'm in love, Naruto-kun…… I love **_you_**…." With that, she held her hands together, filled them with water, and drank.

"Hinata-chan…." Naruto felt stunned. Suddenly, he didn't know what he wanted.

"Touching. I wish I had a tissue," Kuko groused, her confidence beginning to show cracks. "I don't think that's going to be enough. Not after he has tasted the pleasures of the flesh." She walked over to stand by Naruto again. "If he truly relishes your look, I can give him that, but with a woman's skills." Taking on Hinata's form, she leaned over and kissed Naruto, before climbing up on the couch. She began moving her lips down from his face, one destination in mind.

"I…." Naruto shivered when Kuko found just the right spot. "Hinata…."

"Naruto-kun." Hinata began blushing fiercely. The water was beginning to effect her, making it easy to break down the many walls that she had formed. Part of her resisted, wanting to act properly, with dignity and honor. That part no longer held sway.

Hinata slowly disrobed. At first she crouched behind the fountain, but she soon stood, then turned to face Naruto and Kuko.

Naruto's indecision granted him the strength to roll off of the couch, then walk to stand behind one of the silken partitions. At that moment, he was ashamed to be naked, and he wanted to regain control of his thoughts and actions.

Kuko stood up herself, flabbergasted, beginning to grow very angry. Angry and desperate.

"How can you even **_be _**here, _little sister?" _The kitsune asked Hinata. "I had a pact with the Yaksha. They were to heal you, but keep you away until I was with child." Closing her eyes, her posture became rigid. She turned inward, seeking answers about her body. She had _not_ conceived. "Even though you had reason to enter, you have no temple privileges!" Her eyes flashed. "This is an outrage…."

Hinata looked over where Naruto was peaking out from behind the huge sheet of colorful fabric. Looking down at her body, she bit her lip, but held her head high. "That's…… that's not true."

Naruto, away from Kuko's touch, regained some of his willpower, not to mention some of his irreverence. Tugging hard, he detached one piece of silk from the ceiling and fashioned himself an impromptu toga-like robe.

"What happened, Hinata?" He had to look away from his fellow ninja, feeling a renewal of his urges when he took in her nakedness. Slowly, he began moving around the room, trying to keep some distance from Kuko, who seemed intent on getting close to him again. She still looked just like Hinata.

"After they healed me, I asked the Yaksha to return me to you." Hinata stood transfixed for a moment, having the strange opportunity to essentially watch her own naked self stalking Naruto. "They told me that they could not do so, and were kind enough to tell me why. It seems that they were not sworn to secrecy."

That final statement had Kuko cursing under her breath, using some words that she had learned from Naruto on this journey.

"They took offense at my insistence, and the elder one asked me riddles." Hinata felt a chill pass through her. The Yaksha did not inform Hinata of the penalty for being incorrect until after she had answered for the first time…… but _before_ telling her if she was right or wrong. "He asked **_'What equals the ocean? What can compare with the brightness of the Sun?' _**I was frightened. I almost couldn't speak. But, the answers came to me. I said _'I think the sky is bigger than the ocean.' _Thinking some more, I tried to figure out what he wanted me to see, or what he wanted to know about me. I took a chance, going with my first thought. I said _'Truth equals the Sun in brightness.'_

Naruto stopped walking for a moment, very impressed. Hinata was certainly full of surprises. He felt his admiration begin to change into something earthier, then began walking again, away from Hinata and Kuko, making certain he didn't get himself cornered by the kitsune.

"Next, he asked me **_'What is greater than the earth? What is higher than the skies?' _**I almost answered incorrectly. But, I thought about my family. I told the Yaksha that _'My mother is greater than the earth. My father is loftier than the skies.' _He….. he smiled…."

Kuko slowed, then stopped. She looked over at Hinata.

"I misjudged you," there was no disguising the approval and admiration in her voice. There was also no way to miss the bitterness. "I thought I had been **_so_** clever in my trick; but, it seems, my pride may lead to my fall." She ran her hand through her hair. "But, I am _not _one to give up." She smiled. Looking over at Naruto. "It's my Kitsune Way."

"Were there _more_ riddles, Hinata-chan?" Naruto felt his resistance melting away again. He couldn't help but look at Kuko, drinking in the appearance of Hinata's body. It wasn't spectacular like the kitsune's, but for some reason it was beginning to have an even greater appeal.

"Yes, Naruto-kun…." Hinata bit her lip, hearing the change in Naruto's voice. "I was asked **_'What is faster than the wind? What troubles a person always?' _**That one was very easy for me. Kurenai once asked me something like the first one. I answered _'The mind is faster than the wind.' _And, the other is a part of me. I know that, because I felt it often…… ummm…… watching you…" She smiled, thinking back to some of those past times. They seemed so long ago now. "I said that _'Worry troubles a person always'_."

"Very good, _little sister. _But answering riddles should **_not_** have been enough to gain you temple privileges!" Kuko found herself eager to know just what Hinata had done.

"The Yaksha…… he offered me a reward…… a great deal of wealth. I turned him down, asking to come here and make certain Naruto was OK." Hinata blushed. She began to tremble when Naruto spoke her name quietly in response. "I was told that I could not do so. But, he said that he suddenly felt compelled to have one of you killed."

That had Kuko stopping. She looked over at Naruto, then back at Hinata.

Naruto took the opportunity to walk away from Kuko. He chose to slowly move in Hinata's direction.

"He…… he told me…… he told me that **_I _**would have to choose which one…… or he would kill you _both." _Hinata shook, then steadied herself by grabbing hold of the fountain. "The answer seemed obvious. I was about to ask for Naruto to be spared."

"What did you say, _little sister?" _Kuko spoke very softly. The answer might not trump her desires, but it was still very important to her.

"I said _'I do not wish to make any difference between them, just as I would not answer, if the choice was between my sister and my father.' _The Yaksha smiled again, and told me that even though I am not a believer, I uhhold Dharma. He said that victory is mine."

Kuko was even more impressed than before. Nevertheless, she was **_not _**going to let her feelings stand in her way. All she needed to do was get Hinata to give up.

The kitsune began clapping her hands together. When she stopped, she bowed gracefully to Hinata.

"You are like a small unassuming bud," Kuko said. "I think that a number of people will be truly amazed when you fully blossom." She began walking towards Naruto again. "But, that is neither here nor there. I doubt that Naruto will be able to resist me much longer. This will work to my benefit. If he returns to my arms a second time after walking away, I doubt he will choose to deny me ever again."

"Hinata…… I…." Naruto began to buckle. He straightened his shoulders for a moment, but soon began to move towards the kitsune wearing Hinata's form. At that moment, the intimacy they had shared was pulling at him. "No." Naruto shook his head, then began backing away.

"There's no sense in fighting it. Once you taste the honey, you will **_always _**want the fruit of the bee's labor." Kuko licked her lips. "If _little sister _is unwilling to become intimate with you, you will not be able to resist me forever."

"I…." Hinata grabbed hold of the fountain to maintain her balance. She was truly conflicted. The water made her feel braver, willing to throw aside her boundaries, no matter how necessary they might be. But, just the same, her heart held on to feelings of propriety and honor.

The kitsune smiled. She took her own form. That was what Naruto had seen moaning above him. It's what he would want to see again… and again… and again…

"Naruto-kun…… I do…… I **_do_** want you to care about me…… I feel alone too, even with a family…." Hinata had to speak the deepest truth, even though she knew that she would be mortified when she returned to normal. "If you touched me…… if you _wanted_ me…… I…… I would…… I couldn't resist you…."

Naruto began breathing heavily again. He was being tugged at from different sides, feeling like a noodle that was being stretched too thin.

"The water won't work for the two of you, _unless_ he has feelings for you too." Kuko fluffed her hair. "It would only have to be lust. But, you can't compare to me. I'm a woman, and you're a girl." She ran her hands down along her sides. "And while I have no illusions about winning his love over time, you should know that you can't cause him to love you while you stand there."

Hinata looked down at her feet.

"I meant it when I said you were someone I could like," Naruto said, shaking his head and trying to maintain the modicum of control he had managed to regain. "You've…… I think…… the things you did on this quest…." He bit his lip hard, on purpose, trying to use the pain as a way to resist Kuko's charms. "You're somebody _special, _Hinata…… but…… but I don't know for sure…… I can't promise that I could love you."

He began trembling. Part of him didn't want to continue, needing to see Hinata the way that she normally was, knowing that her bravery here could end up hurting her later. But, once he thought the words, he found that he had no choice but to speak them.

"When I saw the kitsune's dancing naked, looking like you…… I…… well I kind of dreamt…… _you know_." Naruto thought back to that night, feeling his urges grow again. "And when you brushed up against me in the bathe…… I…… _uhhh_…… I kind of wished…."

Hinata blushed, even as part of her wanted to sing out in triumph.

Kuko stamped her foot. This was ridiculous. She was **_not_** about to let human emotions stand in her way. Especially since she felt the pointed sting of jealousy, on top of everything else.

"Well, it seems that the two of you might be able to make use of the water after all, thwarting me. I would be ecstatic for the two of you, because you both have come to mean something to me." That was unadulterated honesty.

"But, I ask you to let me have this, _little sister. _Please." The kitsune found herself becoming uncharacteristically emotional. Her tact changed, without being a ploy. "You can have him forever, after this, _if _he truly cares. I need to have him now."

Hinata felt pity welling up inside of her. As upset as she was with Kuko, she knew that the fox woman was not evil. She was only doing what she felt she had to do. It was natural for her to be acting that way.

_And there was an elegant truth in her plea._

"No. It's not right for _him_." Hinata stood firm. Her conviction rang through her, as if she were a bell made of the purest metal. "**_That's_** what matters." She looked down at the water in the fountain. "You want him to come to you for _you_. I want him to come to me for _him_…." She nodded to her reflection. "And for me…."

"Hey!" Some of Naruto's spunk returned. "Don't **_I_** have a say in the matter?"

"**NO!**" Kuko said, regaining some of her own fire. "So just stand their looking pretty."

Naruto scowled. The word was handsome, not pretty.

"Yes," Hinata said.

"But, you have to feel strongly for him, _little sister. _Not just now, but after…." The kitsune did not mean 'after you lay with him.' It was something much more drastic. It would mean betraying Naruto's secret; but, she had to break an egg to make her omelet. "After you hear his secret. The secret that your village has been keeping hidden from everyone your age."

"**_THAT'S NOT RIGHT! _**" Naruto shouted, suddenly enraged. **_YOU_**…… **_YOU_**……"

Kuko cringed some, but stood ramrod stiff, hands oh her hips.

"You can shout as loud and as long as you want," The kitsune said. "Why don't you go running off down the hallway. Maybe you can get the Yaksha…… or something even more unforgiving…… angry at us." She clenched her fists, but soon relaxed them.

"That's just dirty…." Naruto said, not knowing what to do. There was a reason that Tsunade kept upholding the secret. But, he couldn't just stand there and let Kuko blackmail him.

_Especially not after Hinata had come out and made a difficult confession._

"Yes," Kuko said, her face falling. "I wanted you to come to me of your own choice," she said, tears coming to her eyes. "But, if I was willing to trick you before, how can I turn down this opportunity _now." _She spun her hair around her fingers, then unwound it again. "If you give me my daughter…… I will keep your secret…." Her voice crackled ever so slightly. "I would…… I would really want you to be the father…… even if you _didn't_ have…."

"**SHIT!**" Naruto pulled at his hair. He tried to settle down. This was just like the tenth question of the chuunin exam, in a way. Ninjas were often faced with difficult choices.

"_N-N_-Naruto-kun…." Hinata hated to see Naruto torn in that fashion. The look that she gave Kuko had her fellow shinobi gaping. "Don't give in. You are a member of the Leaf. This is like an enemy interrogation." She had been thinking along similar lines.

Kuko returned Hinata's stare. "_Is_ it? Maybe it **_is_** a test of wills. But, in this case, the village secret gets out of he does nothing." She looked over at Naruto. "Please. It's only a matter of pride. It would be pleasurable for us both again."

"Hinata…… I have to…." Naruto had decided to give in to the kitsune's demands.

"_N-N_-Naruto-kun…." Hinata shook her head, angry that she still stuttered under the influence of the water. "_D-D_-Don't you trust me?"

"What? Huh? Hinata?" Naruto twitched. Just what could she mean by that?

"Don't you trust _m-m_-me to keep the secret, Naruto-kun." She stood straighter, trying to look strong. "Don't you trust me to care about you…… even after I hear the secret…."

"Not _this_ secret," Kuko said, trying to work on Naruto's fears as well as his sense of duty.

"**_AHHHHHHHHHHHH!_**" Naruto kicked over one of the smaller couches. He took a pitcher of ice water and dumped it over his head. "**I HATE THIS!"**

Hinata took a step towards Naruto, wanting to comfort him. For a moment, she considered resorting to violence, as that was a big part of her profession.

"Hinata…… I can't…… I just **_can't_** let Kuko tell you the secret." Naruto's statement had the kitsune smiling in anticipation. "So…… I should…… I will tell you _myself_…."

"**What!**" Kuko hadn't expected that.

Naruto sat down on one of the larger couches. He removed the pillows, and patted his hand next to him.

"Would you come sit with me. I think you will need to be seated. I hope you won't hate me when I'm finished."

"OK," Hinata answered. There was a definite risk, sitting next to Naruto in their current state. But, at that very moment, it didn't matter to her. He was going to share an important secret with her. Doing as he had done earlier, she chose to cover herself up, choosing large tassel-hung pillows instead of a silk divider.

When they were both seated, Naruto looked over at Kuko, to make certain that she wouldn't try anything rash. His eyes on the fox woman, he began speaking.

"There was a time when the village was doing very well. The Fourth Hokage was both wise and strong…."

Hinata listened intently, wondering just what she was going to hear.


	11. eleven

The plate wobbled a bit more, then fell over, coming to a rest.

Wine spread slowly across the polished marble floor, having leaked out of the broken crystal goblets.

Kuko was still breathing hard, after physically separating Naruto and Hinata. Her efforts had **_not_** been entirely altruistic, but she _was_ looking out for the two young ninjas, after a fashion.

Though, that might be difficult to make _anyone_ believe, since both youths sported a number of shallow scratches.

Hinata closed her eyes and opened her mouth, looking like she was ready for another kiss, if not something significantly more intimate. Naruto pulled the last of the pillows away from the white eyed girl, flinging it across the room, causing the kitsune to duck. He smiled, hearing the noise that Hinata made when he began to fondle her.

"That is enough of _that!" _Kuko said. "First of all, he's _mine. _He just doesn't want to admit it." She stamped her foot, then clenched her teeth. ""Second, you _know _that the two of you will be very embarrassed when the effect of the water wears off." She growled low in her throat. "And you **_know_** where things could lead. What happens if you get her with child?"

The jealous and lust-filled fox woman's last point had an instant effect. Hinata sat up straight, and slid a bit away from Naruto. Naruto brought his hands away from Hinata's breasts, and put them behind his head, whistling and looking away.

The fox woman cursed her own bad luck, never guessing that things would have gone the way they did after Naruto told Hinata his secret. But, she shouldn't have been completely surprised, given the combined effect of the Wish-fulfilling Gem and the water from Lesser Manasa and White Lotus Lakes.

She cursed mightily under her breath. After she and Naruto had taken their drinks, she **_should _**have asked the Yaksha to counter its effects on anyone else.

_But, how could she have ever have guessed that the girl would do what she had done?_

At first, Hinata had moved away from Naruto, upset, wondering if he was actually the Nine Tails in human form. That had Kuko trying to comfort him, tenderly at first, and then with unbridled passion. But, the diminutive girl remembered how difficult her _own_ childhood had been, and was able to put into perspective the pain that her friend had gone through.

The closer she had found herself getting emotionally, the closer she had allowed Naruto to get physically. For Naruto, the more he found himself touching Hinata's heart, the more he wanted to touch everything else.

"If he gets me pregnant, then we would **_both_** have something in our bellies, right?" Hinata giggled, feeling free enough to make that kind of silly joke. That almost amazed her more than everything else had. _Her, making a joke. _Moving back next to Naruto, she spoke more seriously, placing her hand on his abdomen. "Does it hurt, having the demon in there?" She stroked him ever so lightly.

"No," the young ninja said, still amazed at how Hinata's emotions had evolved. If she had heard about Kyuubi in Konoha, the evolution from shock to concern to acceptance might have taken weeks or months, if it took place at all. But, it was a testimony to just how big a part of her world she had made him, all without Naruto knowing.

Just as their lust would **_not_** have exploded without the slightest seed of desire, her acceptance wouldn't have been so swift if she hadn't watched everything Naruto did, coming to know just what kind of person he is.

"I wonder if I can hear him." Hinata put her ear against Naruto, her hair tickling him. "Guess not."

"I think you have your head too far down, _little sister!" _Kuko kicked one of the intact goblets she had knocked over, watching the glass spin as it crossed the room. Things had somehow gone from a tense, emotionally charged stand-off to a more subtle confrontation when it appeared that Naruto had become captivated by Hinata.

Both Naruto and Hinata looked baffled by the kitsune's comment, until they looked at each other, then glanced down at the young ninja's lap. Both had blushed bright red after that, despite the change in their behavior caused by the fountain.

"I…… I would never…… I would never have thought about **_that_**……if you hadn't mentioned it…." Hinata looked over at the fuming Kuko. If she hadn't heard some Hyuuga girls talking about risqué topics, she still wouldn't realize just what she had been inferring.

"Now I probably won't be able to _stop_thinking about it," Naruto groused. "Uhhh…."

Kuko looked for something else to kick. Then, eyes turning sly, she ran her hands through Naruto's hair and began massaging his scalp.

"You shouldn't say those kind of things to _little sister," _she leaned over and bit Naruto's ear. "Like you told me before, she's a _nice_ girl." She walked around the arm of the couch, and stood staring down at him.

"But, you also can't afford to be distracted when we visit the Oracle later. I can take care of _that." _She got down on her knees. "And you **_won't_** have to worry about this getting me with pups." Of course, once he found himself enjoying her touch again in _this_ manner….

"**KUKO!**"

Everyone was shocked for a few moments. That had been Hinata shouting, not Naruto.

"I think it may be best if I moved away from you, Hinata." Naruto gave her a look that had her grabbing for the pillows again. "We're going to have to do our best to fight this, until the water wears off." He thought about asking for just one more kiss, but knew that a kiss might be all it took to let the djinn out of the bottle, so to speak.

"_Y-Y_-Yes…… Naruto-kun…." Hinata sighed. Her emotions and desires were so tangled, she didn't know if she could **_ever _**get rid of all the knots. Biting her lip, she wondered how each of them would feel days or weeks from now?

Would Naruto try and stay as far away from her as possible, or might he see something in her that he had never noticed before. Would she find herself changing the way she had felt for so long, because she learned a truth that had been kept secret from all of the younger shinobi?

"That's responsible thinking," the kitsune said. "Just the kind of thing I would expect from a man who wants to be Hokage some day." Kuko was still down on her knees, a rather wicked look in her eyes. She may well be behind in the game, after once having what appeared to be an insurmountable lead, but she was **_not _**about to give up.

"_Little sister _must be exhausted after her healing session. She should go lay down on a couch and take a nap until they come for us."

"I think maybe **_you_** should go sit on one of the far seats yourself," Naruto said, sounding somewhat bitter. While he didn't have any compulsion to forgive the fox woman for what she had done earlier, he still had lustful feelings for her. "Preferably one in a corner. I can't trust you. Unless you want to make _another _promise."

"Hmmmmm," Kuko said, batting her eyes, if only to annoy Naruto. "I promise to bring you to the heights of ecstasy, and keep you there until you can't take any more." She looked over at Hinata and winked. "_That's_ the kind of talk you need to learn, if you want to get in his pants when you get back to your village."

"**KUKO!**"

That time it was Naruto. He looked to see how Hinata had reacted.

It was bad enough that she was saying things like that to Hinata. But, there was more to it. The _last _thing he wanted to think about was what might happen when they got back to Konoha. It would be bad enough making a report to Tsunade. But if he or Hinata let anything slip, he could imagine opening his door some day and finding the whole Hyuuga clan waiting to skin him alive.

That was considering everything that had happened so far. If Kuko hadn't been zealously trying to keep him to herself, there was a very good chance that he and Hinata would have ended up with their own session of grunting and moaning.

Hyuuga Hiashi would **_not_** care about fountains, mystical waters, or magical gemstones. He **_would_** care about seeing a certain boy's head on a pike, or listening to that same ninja singing soprano in the Konoha boys choir.

"You have been a bad enough influence on Hinata as it _is," _he said. "I can't imagine how either of us will feel when we report back to the Fifth Hokage."

That had Hinata bringing her hand to her mouth. Kuko, by contrast, smiled and said "Nonsense. I'm merely looking out for _little sister's _better interests." She chuckled, patting Hinata on the head facetiously. "Besides, I need her to be able to keep the other village girls away from you until the next cycle comes around. I won't make the same mistakes n_ext _time."

"**WH-WH-WHAT!"**

That was Naruto and Hinata both. The look on their faces had the fox woman laughing. She put one hand on Hinata's shoulder.

"I really wish you'd take up the offer Tenko made you, _little sister. _You would make a wonderful member of the family. Shakko, Nogitsune, and the overactive ones like Genko and Kiko could all help me train him to be just the kind of man you want. I'm certain the others would allow you to have him to yourself, after he gives the group of us a child or two…."

Naruto looked over at Hinata again. He was relieved to see that she didn't show any outward signs of interest.

"Speaking of that…." The kitsune suddenly sounded somewhat depressed. "I haven't given up yet, mind you…… but if I _don't_ get with child…… will you promise to tell the family where I am, so they don't worry?"

Naruto just looked away. He was in no mood to consider doing Kuko any favors. And, the last thing he needed to do was deal with a whole bunch of tricky fox women, even if they were no longer in heat.

"It will keep them all from coming to Konoha to ask you," the kitsune added. That had Naruto swallowing hard; but, he simply shook his head, causing Kuko to sigh sadly.

"We will do it," Hinata said. "If Naruto won't help me, then I will do it on my own. You saved my life."

"Thank you," the kitsune said somewhat solemnly, walking over to kiss Hinata on the forehead. Some things were more important than a rivalry. But, gratitude counted for only so much, and lasted only so long. She wanted to bang her head against the wall. A sudden inspiration hit her. The answer was there, staring her in the face, but she had missed it.

She had been acting too much like a human woman with Hinata. It may well have gone better for her if she had simply gone fox for a while, and used her kitsune instincts.

_Well, better late than never._

Kuko had promised not to use her bewitching or possession techniques against Naruto. She had **_not_** made the same pledge to Hinata. All she needed to do was get Hinata under her power. With Hinata sleeping quietly in some corner, there would be nothing that would keep Naruto from giving in.

The kitsune took her fox form. She began rubbing her tails together.

The door swung open again. Kuko was almost ready to take on the temple's full contingency of Yaksha single-handedly. What could they possible want _now!_

But, it was not only Yaksha this time. After one cowled creature opened the door, a number of preta shambled in, followed by a group of kumbhandas. Behind them came creatures that neither Naruto nor Hinata had seen before.

Kuko could guess what they were, since she knew the various types of creatures that populated kami temples. The tall and broad monsters, with their hideous horned heads and animal skin clothes, were ogres of different types.

The ones with the green pustular skin and crusted oozing eyes were _mamo, _known to be carriers of disease. The ones that seemed to be made of red stone, and carried huge rock clubs, were _tsen, _more earth spirits than ogre. But, it was the black ones, with the necklaces of human skulls, that had the kitsune's hackles raised. They were _sinpo, _and they favored the flesh of humans and similar species.

Choosing to remain in fox form, given the avid stares that the simpo turned on Hinata and Naruto, Kuko spoke sharply, trying hard to reign her temper in.

"What's going on here? We had a bargain. As an acolyte of a kami temple, I expected to be treated better than this."

"Your oath has been forgiven. You owe us no debt. You and the humans are no longer welcome in this temple." The Yaksha nodded to a number of others of its own kind who walked into the room.

"**_HUH?_**"

Naruto stood up, still naked. In his current state, that fact didn't even register on him. It was his anger rising now, not his anatomy.

"We came here to find out important information, not to roll around on the couches." The look he gave the kitsune had her instinctively running to hide behind Hinata. The girl, in turn, was hiding behind the tall curved headboard of a large couch. "We took our baths. We had our visions. We made our offerings. We were told that the hospitality of the temple was at our disposal." He put one foot up on the furniture, looking very belligerent. "Why are we getting the shaft?"

"You will find that we are being uncommonly gracious, considering the situation. You may thank the young female who gained temple privileges. It would be simpler to kill you." The one Yaksha exposed his face. "We may still choose to do so."

"Naruto-kun…… please…." Hinata didn't want Naruto's attitude to land them all in the moat outside the temple, or in the bellies of the drooling preta and sinpo.

Resuming her human form, Kuko walked forward and bowed. "Forgive him his temper and irreverence, holy one. He is young…… human…… and influenced by the gem you loaned me…." She kneeled on the floor, then spoke anew. "Please, can you tell us what has changed. If we have offended you in some manner, perhaps we can make amends."

"You will come with us now," the Yaksha said, signaling mutely to the various beasts in his entourage. "I will grant you understanding as you walk."

As Naruto marched behind one of the Yakshas, Hinata ran up to him and thrust clothing into his arms. He would have forgotten about that. But, it seemed unimportant at the moment.

One of the Yaksha chanted a number of words, removed the gem from the fountain, then walked over and touched Kuko, Naruto, and Hinata with his feathered staff. Those actions counteracted the effects of the artifacts.

Hinata squeaked, and ducked behind Naruto, feeling that the assembled hoard of creatures were all staring at her nakedness. Her hand touching him, she suddenly became more aware of _his_ nudity. Backing away, she bumped into the huge scrotum of a of kumbhanda, which caused her to quickly try to put her clothing on as they all marched down the hallway, back the way they came.

Naruto wasn't doing a whole lot better. But, rather than being embarrassed, he took his usual tact, using his feisty nature to cover up his uneasiness. "What are you staring at, ugly?" He scowled at a sinpo that had taken to walking very close to him.

Kuko grabbed Naruto by the ear and pulled him away from the ogre. Unlike the two shinobi who were allowed no time to get dressed before being unceremoniously rousted from the room, Kuko appeared fully clothed.

"Five male kitsune have gained entrance to the temple," the eldest Yaksha mentioned. "They are all mikkyo. Their stated purpose is an alarming one."

"**Shit! **They want to party with Kuko, then they want to see her and us dead. What's so damn alarming about _that? _You guys have enough guards here to take them out. One of you Yaksha dudes could probably do it himself!" Naruto was upset at seemingly having the goal of his mission erased.

"Naruto! _Quiet!" _The kitsune dug her fingernails into the noisy ninja.

"You are correct," the Yaksha answered, no sound of anger or rancor in his voice. "If we had time now, I would put you through the riddles." That had Naruto blinking rapidly. "They do not merely wish to kill you. That would **_not_** concern us. No. They have expressed the desire to release the Kyuubi. If that happened while there was no Guardian here, the temple could be destroyed."

_That shocked the three travelers._

"But revered one, that might only be a ruse, a clever attempt to get you to throw us from the temple, putting us at their mercy." Kuko couldn't see why the mikkyo would do something so drastic. "And the boy is correct, you have the means here to easily remove the danger by killing the ones making the threat."

Hinata had finally managed to get clothed, after hopping down the hallway, crowded by tsen, kumbhanda, and pretas. She began to realize just what kind of life Naruto might be destined to live, carrying a great demon within him.

"Seems like that would be the _smart_ thing to do," Naruto muttered way too loudly. Kuko kicked him hard in the shin.

"Their intent my be duplicitous, and it most certainly may be evil, but they have followed the Ways. No doubt, somehow, they have come across one of the Scrolls in their studies." The Yaksha motioned his arm, sending a number of creatures into the next room, to make certain that no kitsune lay in wait there. "They have gained an immunity."

Kuko nodded her head, looking truly worried.

Recognizing the Yaksha as the one she had been riddled by, Hinata walked over to his side and spoke. "Sir, what is an immunity?"

"Child," the Yaksha rumbled, nodding to the white-eyed girl. "The kitsune must have made some kind of pact with the Naga of this temple. They in turn beseeched their master, Virupaksha, who granted the immunity. While the temple is **_not_** dedicated to the Lord of the Western Direction, his will extends here, as does that of any of the Devas."

"Ummm, Sir…… why would the _N-N_-Nagas…… why would they want Kyuubi released? Don't they live at the temple, too?" Hinata felt brave enough to ask another question, after her previous experience with the demigod.

The cowled being made a disgusted snorting sound. "Who can understand the mind of a Naga?" The other Yakshas all waved their arms when hearing that. "It is likely that the mikkyo did not explain that part, especially if it is merely a trick."

"Add the Nagas to my list of things that need their asses kicked," Naruto said, pushing away a preta that had started to sniff at him. He was startled to see the cowled heads all nod. Rubbing his neck, he asked his own question. "If we can kill the mikkyo, can we come back in?"

"You would need to follow the same rituals again, should you live. Entrance may or may not be granted." The Yaksha's words had the travelers hopeful at first, even though five mikkyo would be a daunting foe. "But, there is little chance that you would survive. Nagas have hidden communities in every world. In yours, they are susceptible to suffering created by mankind's carelessness, and its basic ignorance of proper conduct in nature. As such, they retaliate towards humans when they behave in such ignorant manners."

"_And?" _Naruto grimaced when Kuko kicked him even harder this time.

"Even if you are **_not _**a defiler of nature, I would suspect that the kistune have made you out to be one. The snake peoples' powers are formidable. They would do everything they could to aid the mikkyo." The Yaksha repeated his earlier actions, having the next room scouted.

When Hinata had moved up to walk closely by his side, Naruto pointed his thumb at himself. "Don't be worried, Hinata. You're with Uzumaki Naruto. We'll be alright. _Promise of a Lifetime!"_

"Naruto-kun." Hinata managed a smile. That had Kuko frowning.

When they reached the doors into the Great Room, the elder Yaksha turned to face the visitors, a very ominous look on his face.

"You have been through this room before. No doubt, the fox woman has told you how to behave. It is even more imperative now, that you draw no attention to yourselves, or despoil the smallest of things." He waved his staff to quiet the simpo, one of whom had left a long trail of saliva draped over Hinata's shoulder. "The Deva King may not here at the temple, but I would not be surprised if part of his consciousness is focused in this direction, given the recent events."

A number of the Yakshas spoke nervously among themselves in a low guttural language, until the elder smacked the butt of his staff against the floor.

"If he were to return while you are in that room, you would almost certainly be put to death, should you be there against his will. Those of us in your presence might suffer severe sanction as well. _**Silence!**" _He struck the staff against the ground again, when the of kumbhandas began making a frightful neighing racket. "If he were to return while you were elsewhere in the temple, he might still command your death, were you to act in an inappropriate fashion in this room."

Kuko was staring at Naruto, a pleading look on her face.

"**What?**" Naruto asked, trying to look innocent. _"You too?" _He said, when Hinata tugged lightly on his arm. Seeing her blush and look away, he looked down at himself, realizing that he had never gotten dressed. As he tried to put on some clothes, he was abruptly pushed into the room by the ogres who began their scouting duties.

He was still pulling on his pants when he looked up, seeing the _apsaras_ watching him.

"Uh oh." Naruto hurried even faster, seeing the _apsaras_ and _gandharvas _begin to lower their fans again. Just as he finished dressing, Kuko grabbed one of his arms, and Hinata the other. They began pulling him quickly towards the opposite stone doors.

"**_HALT!_**" One of the Yakshas said. He motioned to his fellow Yakshas and the lesser beasts to stand between Naruto, Hinata, Kuko, and the milling temple maidens. Cradling his staff in one arm, he faced the huge doors expectantly. For good reason. They opened.

A loud sibilant sound preceded the arrival of numerous tall and sinuous creatures, semi-divine beings with the face and upper body of a human, merging with the body of a great snake. A scaled crest, somewhat like that of a cockatoo, unfolded menacingly on their heads, as their irate faces scanned the room before them.

"Where are the defilers-_s-s-s-s-s _of Nature?" One spoke, its tail twitching. "Where are the humans-_s-s-s-s_."

"Hey! We're not defilers of anything!" Naruto said unprompted. "We've been lied about!"

"**DON'T MEET THEIR EYES!**" Kuko pulled Naruto to her. "If they wish it, they can use their gaze to kill." She shivered, having an aversion to snakes herself. "Their bite is poisonous. Their coils can squeeze the life out of you before you know it. Some can spit venom as well."

"Liars-_s-s-s-s-s-s-s. _Mos_-s-s-_st humans_-s-s-_s are liars-_s-s-s-s-s-s_," The lead creature rose up high on its snake-like body. It motioned for someone to enter the room. It was the five male kitsune.

"You Naga have no authority to stand in my way," the eldest Yaksha called out. "And, you are far from the great pools in the depths of our temple. Perhaps you ought to leave this matter in the hands of us, the ones assigned the care of the upper levels."

"_S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s. _We are not _s-s-s-s-s-_standing in your way. It is_-s-s-s _the humans_-s-s-s _that we we _s-s-s-_seek. We will take the female kits_-s-s-s-s-_sune as_-s-s-s _well. She has_-s-s-_s led the defilers_-s-s-s-s _into our mids_-s-s-_st."

"I suggest you wait until _after_ the truth is discovered. Should you act rashly, there will be no place in your lair deep enough to hide in. It may be that you have been terribly misled, by those that you have admitted to the temple." The Yaksha met the stare of his counterpart, unaffected by its baleful eyes.

"_**That's right!**"_ Naruto stepped out, breaking free of Kuko's grip. Eyes closed and hands on his hips, he stated his case. "Those mikkyo bastards told everyone here that they came to release the Kyuubi from me, so that I would be kicked out on my ass. Did they happen to mention _that_ to you?"

"Naruto-kun…." Hinata wisely tried to shush her companion.

"Nons_-s-s-s-sens-s-s-s-_se," the tallest Naga hissed. "Human tricks_-s-s-s-s."_

"Kill them. Before their words can catch you off guard." One of the mikkyo pointed to Kuko and the Leaf shinobi. He and the other rogues had discovered the bodies of their friends, after being unsuccessful in their attack on the kitsune family. "They have killed many of my kind, as we fought to prevent to destruction of the lakes and forests in our world. They came here for powerful magics that they can use in their wanton crimes against nature."

"**S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s!**" The Naga showed the capricious character of his kind, sinking its fangs into the neck of the kitsune, injecting an instantly fatal amount of venom. "Ins_-s-s-_solence! None sh_-sh-sh-_should _s-s-s-_seek to tell us-_s-s-s _what we _sh-sh-sh-sh-_should do." It motioned to the other shaken mikkyo, then pointed towards Naruto. "You kill them."

"You must not fight in here!" The Yaksha told Naruto. "It will earn you your death, just as they have earned theirs. Immunity does _not_ cover impious acts such as this."

"Then your buddies will help stop them?" Naruto asked, pulling Hinata and Kuko behind a wall of ogres.

"Regrettably not," the Yaksha replied. "The immunity will be revoked only _after_ they are judged by the one who gifted it, or his equal." The put his cowl back up. "I suggest you avoid them. Without disturbing the room."

"**Shit!**" Naruto tried to think, watching as the four remaining mikkyo fanned out to attack from all angles. No doubt they meant to kill him and the others, then rush out of the temple before their safe conduct could be nullified. "Dead if we do…… dead if we don't…."

Concentrating, he created an enormous number of shadow clones, to the point that there was very little standing space left in the huge room.

"Alright guys. _No_ fighting. _No_ breaking stuff. _No_ eating. _No_ pinching the cute girls on the butt." Naruto ran over to Hinata and Kuko, telling them to disguise themselves as Yaksha and try to find a way out of the door they had come in through.

_The Nagas still had the other door blocked. _

The rogue kitsune went to work, destroying clone after clone. In the process, they created layers upon layers of illusion, impeding Naruto's retreat, as he had to rely on Kuko's guidance. The Naga were not fooled by Naruto's tricks, and were trying to direct the mikkyo. Also, as creatures of immense intelligence and magical power, they began weaving their own nets of illusion.

The Yaksha, unable to attack either the kitsune or the Naga, put their own will towards dispelling the snake magic.

"Can you defend yourselves," Naruto shouted to one, while dodging one mikkyo attack, watching as dozens of clones disappeared in puffs of smoke after grabbing hold of the kitsune's legs.

"That **_is_** allowed," the elder Yaksha answered affirmatively.

"Well, you guys can change shape, right?" When the Yaksha nodded, Naruto suggested that the demigods take on the appearance of Hinata, Kuko, and himself. If a mikkyo chose to strike one of the demigods, there would soon be one less rogue male to worry about.

The Yaksha chuckled, appreciating a good trick. He and his fellows bent themselves to their task.

Despite the best efforts of the shadow clones, tables were knocked over; urns and valuable vases were smashed; and pillows were reduced to clouds of feathers. The kitsune were using every violent attack at their disposal, and were creating terrible havoc.

The preta, kumbhandas, and ogres could only be kept on a leash for so long. Knowing better than to strike at the mikkyo or Naga, the stupid creatures were so agitated that they began attacking the shadow clones, destroying furniture and precious treasures in the process.

Adding to the utter confusion and disarray, the temple maidens were running this way and that, screaming. When the group of them began to escape the room, Naruto had the others disguise themselves as girls.

Without warning, all lights within the room went out. When the Yaksha and Nagas attempted to produce magical illumination, their talents were blocked. The huge doors on either side of the room slammed shut, seemingly on their own.

"**CEASE YOUR UNENLIGHTENED NONSENSE.**"

The voice that rang out had every individual and creature in the room covering their ears from pain.

Torches and lamps slowly began to glow, first faintly, then gradually reaching their full level of light.

When the last of the shadow clones had disappeared, and tne room was wll lit again, the Yaksha, nagas, kitsune, humans, and other creatures were all left staring at the great throne. It was no longer empty.

The remaining _apsaras_ and _gandharvas _all ran to sit on pillows at the feet of a gigantic man-like figure, blue in color, regal in stature, with a full face with black eyebrows, moustache and beard. Large bulbous eyes gazed to the side as often as they looked forward. The being's right hand held a long sword, with the left cradling the blade his chest. Adorned with an ornate headdress of gold and jewels, earrings and ribbons, the immense figure was richly garbed in the brocade raiment of a king, opulent with silks and elaborate design in a variety of colors. A helmet sat upon his head, adorned with the skin of elephant's head. Armor sat over his fancy clothes, and the scarves at his neck looked as if they were blowing in a stiff wind.

It was Virudhaka, Celestial Guardian, one of the four generals of Sakra Devendra, a god who had been pulled away from his battle against the Asuras that are ever trying to disrupt the peace and contentment of heaven.

Wind, Harmony, Rain and Prosperity are the four divine attributes which characterize the Heavenly Kings. "Wind" refers to the blade of the precious sword which is used to protect all sentient beings; "Harmony" refers to the guitar, which is played to benefit and entertain the world; "Rain" refers to the precious umbrella, which can be employed to subjugate demons; "Prosperity" refers to the dragon, which utilises its heavenly sight to observe and safeguard the human realm.

At that moment, in great Virudhaka'sgreat displeasure, the sword did **_not_** look as if it was meant to protect anything, as it slammed down on one of the few intact tables, reducing it to splinters. A preta that was struck by the same blow faded from existence.

Normally known for his solemn and august nature, as well as his imposing and majestic demeanor, the Deva King grumbled loudly as he surveyed the room.

"**I WILL ENTERTAIN ENTREATIES, WHY ALL THAT STAND HERE NOW SHOULD NOT END THEIR LIFE IN THIS ENCARNATION. **"

One of the younger Yaksha was clearly shaken. Speaking to no one, he said "That is only a formality. We are doomed. We are all as if dead.

Everyone in the room feel to their knees in supplication. The Nagas too assumed postures indicating submission and a desire for forgiveness.

_The only one who did not follow suit was Naruto._

In his mind, if they were already dead, he was going to have his say before that sword did him in. He walked over to stand in front of the great throne, bumping a mikkyo out of his way.

"**_Nice sword!_**" Naruto called out loudly. "A hell of a lot nicer than the stuff they let _us_ use." He took out a kunai and held it out.

Kuko and Hinata tried to silence Naruto, without drawing any attention to themselves.

The Yakshas groaned. The Nagas began to twitch their tails faster and faster.

One of the _apsaras_ blew Naruto a kiss, while a couple of _gandharvas _winked.

"**WHAT KIND OF INSOLENCE IS THIS. WHY SHOULD I NOT SPARE YOUR LIFE, ONLY TO SENTENCE YOU TO A PLACE OF TORTURE AND TORMENT FOR ALL ETERNITY?**"

"That's a really good question, your Majesty. I hope we can find the answer between us." Naruto made an effort to bow. "But while I don't mean to be rude, if I'm going to be killed _anyway, _I figure I might as well speak up and tell you what happened."

The Heavenly king brought his sword around, leaving it level with Naruto's nose, and only three inches away from his head.

Naruto swallowed hard, and began to sweat.

"**WOULD YOU LIKE THE HONOR OF TOUCHING MY SWORD?**"

"Naruto…… no…." Kuko couldn't say any more, when a Yaksha touched her on the shoulder with his staff, causing her to go numb.

The young ninja scratched his head.

"No, Sir. I would like to stay in one piece, if I may." He pointed at the pile of wood fragments, food, and broken dishes on the floor. "I might not be the sharpest kunai in the pouch, but I **_do_** try to get a little wiser every day. I won't be able to do that if I end up looking like that freaking table."

His response caused an angry muttering amongst the Yaksha and Naga. They were surprised that the young man was still alive. No, they were shocked that _any of them _remained amongst the living.

Virudhaka sat back in his chair and chuckled. His sudden change in demeanor had everyone shocked.

"**AS A HEAVENLY KING, IT IS MY TASK TO PLANT THE SEEDS OF POSITIVE KHARMA, PRACTICING THE TRUE DHARMA, USING THE PROPER DOCTRINES TO INSTRUCT THE FAITHFUL, AS WELL AS SUPPRESSING DEMONS AND ELIMINATING EVIL INFLUENCES. I ALSO ENCOURAGE CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT OF WISDOM, MORALITY, AND SKILLS. THE SWORD I HOLD REPRESENTS WISDOM."**

No one spoke.

The Deva King looked at everyone before him, before turning his protruding eyes on Naruto again. It looked as if he expected some kind of answer.

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't have been too wise to touch the sword, huh."

The great being placed his chin on his fist, his eyes narrowing.

Naruto swallowed hard. If he was going to state his case, it was now or never. From the beginning, he detailed his time at the temple, and gave background to his quest, making certain to mention the role that the previous mikkyo had played before his encounter with the Umbrella Pine.

"So, as you can see, I used every opportunity I had to increase my _skills_, so as to protect my friends. I tied to increase my _wisdom_ as I went along, because that is a good way to serve my village better. And, my _morality_ was sure put to the test. It was real hard resisting a bunch of sexy women who…. _uhhh_…. excuse me." Naruto knew that he had no business trying to talk buddy to buddy with a wrathful deity. "And, it's also my task to suppress evil and suppress demons. That's why I'm here."

The room felt as if it would shake to pieces. An earthquake would have been minor by comparison.

A number of the temple maidens fainted. A couple of ogres left steaming piles of fecal mater on the floor.

"**I DO NOT SUFFER BRAGGARTS. I SHALL RELEASE A DEMON I HAVE IMPRISONED. IF YOU CANNOT DEFEAT IT, I SHALL DESTROY YOU, SHOULD YOU SURVIVE ITS EFFORTS TO CONSUME YOU.**"

"Wait, Boss!" Naruto cringed when he used the means of address that he used with Gama Bunta. Big is big. "I'm _already_ holding in one demon!"

Very quickly, Naruto went on to describe Kyuubi, tell about Akatsuki, and explain how his journey had come about. He also made it a point to mention the trick that the current group of mikkyo had tried.

The kitsune tried to speak up in their own defense, but were quickly silenced by a look from Virudhaka.

"**I HAD BEEN TOLD OF THE DEMON AND THE THREAT. I AM AMUSED TO SEE THAT SUCH A GREAT CREATURE IS SEALED BEHIND THE NAVEL OF A HUMAN CHILD. THAT IS A MUCH GREATER INDIGNITY THAN DEATH.**"

Naruto cursed under his breath, mumbling 'I don't find it so f-cking amusing,' before putting on a smile and looking back up at the Heavenly King.

Virudhaka set his musicians to playing and his dancers to dancing. It by no means meant that he was mollified, or that the room was a cheerful place to be.

At his command, the Yakshas and Nagas all approached him and prostrated themselves.

"**IF YOU CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE, I SHALL NOT SEND THE LOT OF YOU TO BE COMMON LABORERS FOR THE NEXT TEN CENTURIES. I WISH TO KNOW WHY THIS ROOM LOOKS AS IT DOES. YOU WILL TELL ME YOUR PART IN THIS. WHY ARE THESE VISITORS IN MY TEMPLE?**"

"Busted," Naruto said to the Naga that had been so vocal. The boy and the snake creature both jumped when the massive sword struck the ground between them.

Shuffling along, almost looking worried themselves, the pretas, ogres, and kumbhandas herded Naruto, Hinata, and Kuko into one back corner of the room, and the male kitsune into another.

The three adventurers spoke quietly among themselves while Virudhaka listened to the two groups of semi-divine creatures.

"**Heh! **You haven't tried to put your hand down my pants the whole time that we've been in this room," Naruto said impishly to Kuko. _"Damn! _If I had known that would happen, I would have whistled for Big Guy when we first got here."

Neither Hinata nor the kitsune smiled. Kuko looked resigned to her fate. Hinata touched Naruto's hand with hers, then put it back in her lap, head bowed.

"_Shit! _We're not dead yet. If we're going down, let's go down with our heads up. That's my Ninja Way!" he grinned.

Hinata nodded, and held her chin up. When Naruto pursed his lips, then reached over to squeeze her hand, she blushed and managed a small smile. Kuko nodded too, then took Naruto's hand and put it on her breast. Naruto pulled back like he was touching hot coals. That had the fox woman smiling.

Looking chastened, the Yaksha all returned, then motioned for Naruto and his two comrades to accompany them to the foot of the great throne. The Naga did the same with the rogue kitsune.

The great Guardian waved the snake people over towards Naruto. The eldest of the Nagas approached Naruto and bowed.

"I am fors_-s-s-s-s-_sed to apologis_-s-s-s-_se. We were terribly mis_-s-s-s-_staken. You are not defilers-_s-s-s-s-s_." With great dignity, the creature lowered his head crest. "S_-s-s-s-_sorry." It slithered back amongst his own kind, the whole group of them looking as pale as the Yaksha.

"**Great!**" Naruto said. "Since _that's_ all cleared up, I guess we should be on our way!" It was worth a try.

"Remain still…… silent…… and solicitous…." The eldest Yaksha gave Naruto a piercing glance. He turned to face all of the temple visitors, before speaking in an oratory tone:

"There is not any event that under all circumstances is an obstacle. During your life, sometimes a test situation may arise. If you lack understanding and insight, this test could become an obstacle. However if you have enough insight and understanding, the test could heighten your realization to a great extent."

Naruto opened his mouth, but Hinata noticed and grabbed his hand. He looked at her and kept silent. Not to be left out, Kuko reached out and grabbed his other hand. Looking over at Virudhaka, Naruto was too distracted to pull that hand away.

"We will **_not _**delve into the guilt or innocence of those who transgressed voluntarily or involuntarily. In his great wisdom and benevolence, the Great Lord has instructed me to ask each a riddle. A correct answer brings life. An incorrect answer does not. First, you will all repeat after me the **'Prayer For The Time of Death'**."

"Morbid shit," Naruto grumbled to himself.

"_**Shhhhhh!**" _Kuko said.

The eldest Yaksha raised his staff. The others soon followed suit. The light in the room dimmed considerably, and the temple maidens began a slow wordless song. When the Yakshas took turns chanting verses, the humans and kistunes echoed his words:

"_At the moment the messenger of death arrives_

_Please come instantaneously from your pristine realm._

_Advise me to give up grasping at mundane existence_

_And invite me to come to your pristine realm._

_-_

"_When earth sinks into water_

_And the mirage-like appearance is perceived,_

_And my mouth becomes dry and foul-tasting,_

_Please come and tell me not to be afraid and inspire me with true courage._

_-_

"_When water sinks into fire_

_And the smoke-like appearance is perceived,_

_And my tongue gets thick and my speech is lost,_

_Please show me your shining face and give me solace and peaceful joy._

_-_

"_When fire sinks into air_

_And the firefly-like appearance is perceived,_

_And my body heat and the light of my eyes rapidly fade away,_

_Please come and fill my mind with the sound of Dharma wisdom._

_-_

"_When air sinks into consciousness_

_And the burning like a butter lamp appearance is perceived,_

_And my body becomes like the earth and my breathing altogether ceases,_

_Please draw me to your pristine realm with the radiant light of your shining face._

_-_

"_And then, may the radiant red hook_

_Emanating from your pristine heart_

_Enter my crown, then descend my central channel,_

_Hook my very subtle clear light mind, and bring it to your pristine realm._

_-_

"_Yet if I must go into the intermediate state by the force of my negative karma,_

_May all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas rescue me with the power of Dharma_

_And inspire me with the pure view that sees all beings as utterly pure,_

_Hears all sounds as Dharma teaching, and sees all places as a pristine realm."_

After that, the testing began. The eldest Yaksha approached Hinata first, as she had been riddled previously and had passed. Placing his hand upon her brow, he spoke. "Be not affrighted child. If you answer correctly, you will **_not_** die. If you answer incorrectly, your death with be swift and painless."

He then asked his riddle.

"**What is the most valuable of all one's possessions? And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?"**

Hinata rubbed her fingers together, thinking. Hesitantly, she spoke. "I…… I do not think……it is _not _a material thing." She trembled slightly, faced with possible demise. "I do not think that love is a possession." She looked over at Naruto, then down at her feet.

"The…… my abilities…… my skills are important too…… but I think there are better things." She closed her eyes, trying to grasp her elusive thought by the tail. "The things that I know…… the things that I have come to understand…… I think that _those_ are best."

"Yes," the Yaksha nodded. "That answer will suffice. Continue."

The young ninja answered more quickly regarding the second part of her riddle. It was a subject she had been led to contemplate during many lonely nights. "Contentment is the best kind of happiness."

"Very good. You may go sit by yourself and rest." The cowled being gently turned Hinata and pushed her towards a number of intact cushions on the floor.

Next up, a mikkyo was questioned by the Yaksha, who held up his staff.

"**If you call this a staff, you deny its eternal life. If you do not call this a staff, you deny its present fact. Tell me, just what do you propose to call it?"**

The kitsune's answer was not met with approval, and he faded quickly from view. A second mikkyo met a similar fate when he could not give an adequate answer when challenged with the following riddle:

"**A man hanging from a tree over a cliff. He is holding on to a twig with his teeth. His hands hold no branch. His feet find no branch. Up on the cliff-edge a man shouts at him: 'Why did Bodhidharma come from cross from one land into the next? If he fails to answer he is lost. If he answers, he dies. What must he do?"**

The Yaksha repeated the procedure with Kuko. Both Naruto and Hinata tensed up watching the process. The death of the two kitsune had them on edge.

"**So, lady fox, a man sits on top of a hundred-foot pole. How can he go farther up?"**

Kuko sighed in relief. She could easily figure out the answer someone in this temple would be looking for. "He should reach for enlightenment. Then he can stand up into all four corners of the sky at once."

"That will suffice. Join the other female." The Yaksha went on to question the two remaining mikkyo. Both failed. As such, both ceased to exist.

"Ahhh. But one more remains. The noisy one." The Yaksha walked over to Naruto. "Are you at peace, fox bearer?"

"Not really," Naruto answered. "I need to take a wicked piss." That answer had just about everyone and everything in the room gasping in disbelief.

By contrast, Virudhaka chuckled.

"**THE RASH ONE REMINDS ME OF A CERTAIN YAKSHA WHEN HE CAME HERE AS A YOUTH. I SOMETIMES QUESTION THE WISDOM OF HAVING LET THAT ONE LIVE."**

The Yaksha facing Naruto closed his eyes and sighed, a sound that was almost human, but very strange just the same.

"**What is the greatest wonder of life?'**

"Ha! I know that one. No one is going to make Uzumaki Naruto disappear. The answer is _easy. _That every man must one day die, yet every man lives as if they were immortal." He looked over at his friends. "Hey! Hinata! You're not the only one who can answer riddles."

"You are correct," the Yaksha said.

"Alright! The score is good guys three, bad guys zero. It would have been easier if everyone just listened to us from the beginning!" Naruto struck a nice guy pose.

"**HOLD!**" The Heavenly king said, his voice causing one of the remaining vases to shatter.

"**THAT ANSWER CAME TOO SWIFTLY FOR A QUESTION OF SUCH WEIGHT.**" He turned his look on the elder Yaksha.

"**THE QUESTION SOUNDS FAMILIAR TO ME. **" The great being scratched his head, underneath the edges of his helmet.

"Yes," the Yaksha said. "Long ago, not too many centuries after I first began my work in this temple, I posed the same question to a son of Pandu. You may have heard the tale, one where a deer had been butting about, became entangled with Brahmana's two fire sticks and a churning stick, then ran off. Sent to retrieve it, the man and his brothers happened upon a lake I had chosen as my own." He shrugged. He had been demonstrative in his youth. "I told them not to drink, but they did. All except the one, who won their lives back by answering the riddle."

"**DID YOU AGRANDIZE YOURSELF BY RECORDING THE STORY IN THE WORDS OF MAN? THAT WOULD ALLOW OTHERS TO MERELY READ TO KNOW THE RIDDLE'S ANSWER, WITHOUT BEING FORCED TO SEARCH THEIR HEARTS. **"

"I did, Lord." The Yaksha bowed. "In a work called The _Mahabharata." _That book was one of the two most important factors that created the 'Hindu' culture of India, along with a human-penned epic called the _Ramayana._

"I understand." The cowled demigod turned to Naruto. "The question is invalid, and therefore the answer is not to your credit."

"**_WHAT?_**" Naruto clenched his fists and scowled. "That _blows! _I never read that Maha…… Mabrata…… whatever."

The Yaksha looked into Naruto's eyes. "But you still knew the answer before hand, did you not?"

"Uhhh…… yeh…… can't help it if I'm a learned guy…." Naruto looked away from the cowled creature, making certain not to glance in Kuko's direction.

"**Late one night a blind man was about to go home after visiting a friend. 'Please,' he said to his friend, 'May I take your lantern with me?' The friend asked 'Why carry a lantern?' and said 'You won't see any better with it'." The Yaksha put his hand on Naruto's head. "Explain."**

"Huh?" Naruto rubbed his nose, then furrowed his brow. "Is _that_ supposed to be the riddle?"

"Yes," the Yaksha answered. "It comes to me, that your life is **_not_** the only one at stake here. If you wish, you may seek the answer with the Nine-Tailed Fox within you."

"Thanks," Naruto said, sarcastically. Just the same, he relaxed his mind, and turned inward. When he returned to his usual state, he shook his head.

"Do you have an answer?" The Yaksha asked.

"I'm still thinking. I won't use that bastard fox's." Naruto kicked at a piece of broken plate on the floor.

"**WHAT ANSWER WAS THAT? YOU HAVED PIQUED MY CURIOSITY.**"

"Uhhh…… your Majesty….. Kyuubi's answer was 'Bite that Fat Yaksha in the ass, or piss on his feet'. I did not think that the reply was correct."

The Deva King nodded subtly. The skin at the corner of his eyes wrinkled ever so slightly.

"The demon does not like you, _does_ he?" The Yaksha asked. "That is irrelevant, however. You must provide me with your answer."

"Huh? Oh yeh. How could I forget about that?" A number of Nagas looked at one another, then shrugged. "Let me see. Lanterns make light. They help you see. And…" he smiled, remembering simple lessons he was taught before becoming a genin. There was a reason that ninjas do not make campfires during a mission. "They can help you be seen!"

"**Correct. So his friend gave the blind man the lantern, which was made of paper on bamboo strips, with a candle inside. Off went the blind man with the lantern, and before he had gone more than a few yards, Crack! Someone walked right into him. The blind man was very angry. "Why don't you look out?" he stormed. 'Why don't you see this lantern?' Explain."**

"OK. The other jerk could have been blind too, I guess. But that would be too easy. And how many times do two blind guys run into each other on the street. Shit!" He twitched. "Sorry!" He put both hands behind his head and closed his eyes. "_Hmmmm_…."

"Do you have an answer?" The Yaksha asked.

"**_Sure!_**" Naruto replied. "But I'm still looking for the right one." That had the other Yaksha mumbling amongst themselves.

"You have until the sand runs out," the elder Yaksha pulled a plug out of the bottom of his staff. It served as the equivalent of an hourglass. Minute grains of diamond, emerald, and ruby began forming a cone-shaped pile on the floor.

"Great. I bet that's a lot of fun at parties!" Naruto clenched his teeth. Then he smiled. "The old son of a bitch probably forgot to light the candle!"

"Yes," the Yaksha said, looking up at Virudhaka.

The Great Guardian nodded his head. He waved his sword towards the nearest set of stone doors. The pretas and other monsters began filing out. A different troop of ogres began bringing new tables into the room while ghost-like _pisacas_ materialized and started removing refuse.

"Come," the eldest Yaksha said. "It is time to determine your fate."


	12. twelve

**A/N:**

"_I think you have done a good job. Not great but good because I think Hinita could have answered better for the first part of the riddle."_

Really?

**FYI: **The riddles… including the answers… are authentic. In fact, the riddles… and answers (the final answers, not her thought process) for Hinata, came from that tale of the Yaksha, the lake, and the brothers. If you don't like the answers, you can go back in time and tell the author of The _Mahabharata._

"_find it annoying in all you're stories that Naruto has to "spit" so damn much. That's a really disgusting habit. Then again.. Most of you're stories Naruto has absolutely no sense of manners at all. He wasn't THAT bad in the anime/manga"_

This is not the anime or manga. It's fan fiction. Naruto is a free-spirited rule-stretching son of a gun, not an etiquette school alumnus. Everyone can write him as they see him, and read who they like.

**BTW**: Neither the anime nor the manga have Naruto being chased by kitsune in heat….

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The incense in the room was strong.

Smoke wafted up from carven gold and silver braziers, dancing in the light of the large oil lamps.

A group of Yaksha sat on large cushions arranged in a semicircle, at the center of which Naruto, Hinata, and Kuko stood, fidgeting.

"How long are we going to have to stand here?" Naruto said, standing on one foot, then another, clenching his jaws. "I **_still_** need to take a leak." He looked over at a number of ornate vases that were spread around the domed octagonal chamber. "I guess _those_ would do." He pointed.

Kuko put her face in her hands. Hinata bit her lip. They were awaiting the Yaksha's judgment.

_It was not the best time for Naruto to be Naruto._

The cowled creatures began making an ominous noise, until the eldest raise his staff, and brought it down with a resounding _'thwap!'_

"Would you like a**_nother_** riddle?" The creature tapped the claws of one hand against the polished lapis lazuli floor.

"No," Naruto said. Scowling, he went to sit in front of the Yaksha. "But, _I _have one for _you!" _Having seen the stature of the Fighters of Disharmony, Naruto had thought of a mythical creature he had read about in a book as a child.

The younger Yaksha got to their feet, sliding their taloned hands out of their huge drooping sleeves. They sat down when the staff's impact echoed through the room again.

"Alright," the Yaksha replied. "Proceed."

"**What has one voice, and is four-footed, two-footed and three-footed?" **

The demigod nodded its head. It actually laughed before answering. "That is _indeed _a good riddle," the creature said. "It surprises me that you know it." Spreading its arms wide, it continued. "The answer is 'man'."

"**_Shit!_**" Naruto gave the Yaksha a thumbs up. "Didn't think you guys would know about the Sphinx!"

The Yaksha chuckled. "That is a common misconception, child." The choice of words had Naruto frowning. "Countries often borrow the legends of distant lands. In actuality, it was the _Shabara_ that asked the riddle."

"Huh?" Naruto said scratching his head."

"Shambara?" Hinata asked, feeling somewhat less anxious, now that there was some kind of discourse going on.

"Yes, child. A creature with a woman's head. Combining also the features of a lion, a ram, and a horse." The Yaksha rubbed its belly, and then shocked everyone by yawning. "Though, I _should_ mention that there was indeed a creature that was sent to Thebes to eat the children of that nation, as punishment for some national crime." He looked at Naruto. "The _Alopekos Teumesios. _"

Kuko sat up straighter. She had obviously heard tale of that monster.

The Yaksha put down his cowl. "It is a fine coincidence, that your words cause mention of that terrible beast, dead that it has been these many centuries."

"_Why?" _Naruto folded his rams over his chest, a scowl on his face.

"It was the gigantic _Teumesian Fox _that was sent," Kuko said.. "A hero named Amphitryon was given the impossible task of destroying the beast, a creature which had been destined **_never_** to be caught."

Naruto swore, thinking about Kyuubi, a fox demon that no one would have expected to be caught.

"The hero discovered a perfect solution to the problem, by fetching the magical dog _Lailaps_ which was destined to catch everything that it chased." Kuko caused Naruto to jump when she ran a finger down the middle of his back. "The gods, faced with an innevitable contradiction in fate…… an uncatchable fox being pursued by an unavoidable dog…… turned the pair of beasts into stone."

"I wish the Fourth had a dog," Naruto said, a sour look on his face.

"In some tales," the Yaksha said, nodding his head, "The Teumesian Fox was sent upon the city after a different hero had defeated a Sphinx that prowled its crossroads." He chuckled again. "That same mythical Sphinx that is given credit for the Shabara's riddle."

"OK," Naruto said, rubbing his chin. Then, his features brightened. "**Ha! **You already knew the answer, _didn't_ you!"

"Yes," the Yaksha answered, initially perplexed. Then, its eyes narrowed. "You should simply be content that you were able to answer your second riddle."

Naruto stood up and put his hands on his hip, ready to make some smart ass remark.

"I will give you _two_ choices. You can ask another riddle, or stand silently. First, I will recite the tale of the _'The Meritorious Frog,' _as I sense that you are somehow connected to such creatures'." The demigod asked if Kuko or Hinata had heard that tale before. Neither had. "Good. Then this is an opportunity for learning and enlightenment." He looked over at Naruto. "For _some_…."

Hinata giggled, then looked embarrassed to have done so. It earned her a nasty look from Naruto and a smile from Kuko.

The Yaksha began his tale:

"'_Kashyapa is considered the third in the series of earthly Buddhas, the one who appeared before Buddha Shakyamuni, the historical buddha._

"_One day, during a public teaching, the mellifluous voice of this fully enlightened being rang out to the hills where a herder who was tending his flock happened to hear it. He could not catch every word but he was so taken by the sound, that he stopped where he was to listen. Resting his chin upon his hands that were planted palm down atop it, he fell under the spell of the sound of the Buddha's voice._

_Now, deep in the ground just below where the staff was planted was a frog holed up for the cold weather. It was just his misfortune that the stockman's staff pierced his body as the vibrations of the Buddha's teaching resonated down the shaft of wood and reached him. But the little frog did not struggle, nor make any sound, for he was filled with joy at hearing the dharma and did not want to cause a disturbance. _

_When the teaching came to an end, the shepherd moved on with his flock and the frog quietly and serenely expired. Because of his virtuous decision not to interrupt the sounds of dharma, the frog was reborn in the Realm of the Gods. This little frog became chief among them, Lord Indra, himself."_

Naruto rubbed his neck. **_"Wonderful! _**Amazing. I feel smarter already."

"The tale emphasizes how merit is gained even in dire circumstances, for the Dharma helps transform our attitude which influences our actions." The Yaksha's voice became very stern. "_You_ are still in dire circumstances."

"Yeh…… uhhh…… well…… you're a pretty smart guy. We don't need to do any more riddles." Naruto swallowed hard. He truly _was_ concerned. His behavior had been a means to cover up his fears.

"Good boy," Kuko said. "Now, come stand next to Kuko."

Naruto went to stand by Hinata instead. The Yaksha watched the look on each of their faces. He ran his sharp claws up and down his staff, pondering. His question caught the humans and kitsune by surprise.

"Fox woman…… what is it that **_you_** desire most?"

Kuko twitched. Her tailsnifested themselves for a moment, then disappeared.

"I…… I want prosperity for my family…." She answered. "That is for the good of all. For _me_…." She looked over at Naruto. "It has been long since I had my last child. I wish another. With a certain sire."

The Yaksha nodded, and then turned to Hinata. That had the white-eyed girl clutching her hands to her chest. She would be embarrassed if he asked her the same question.

He did.

"_Ummm_…… I would want…... it would be nice if my father thought as well of me as he does my sister…" She swallowed hard. "That is for the good of my family." She looked over at Naruto and rubbed her fingers together, stopping with a great act of will. "For _me_…… for me I…… I …." She blushed. "I wish that Naruto would care about me."

Naruto busied himself by counting the number of deities depicted on the wall murals. He kept looking back at Hinata, before resuming his numerical exploration.

"Why _this_ one?" the Yaksha asked, perplexed, looking at Naruto. He then asked Naruto the same question he had asked the girls.

"**Ha! **I'm going to be Hokage. That's' what I want, and I will take care of my village!" His smile faded some. He looked over at Hinata, and then Kuko. "I…… I never really had much hope for…… _you know_…." He didn't explain that remark, but his meaning was clear. "It may not matter, with those nine bastards after me" His thoughts went to Akatsuki. He had hoped to find some answer here.

_Now, he might not have the chance._

"It is not my place to interfere with the dreams of the two females, one way or another." The Yaksha said. "My fellows and I must decide whether or not we should deny the noisy one's search for knowledge." He looked at Naruto. "Silence will aid our meditation. Interruptions will prove unfortunate.

After that, the room was silent for the next hour. The Yaksha stood up, then walked together, to converse in low voices. They looked over a frantically waving Naruto, whose face was red while he squeezed his legs tightly together.

"You may each follow an attendant," the eldest Yaksha said. "They will take you to a place suitable for bodily necessities. When you return, we shall have our answer."

The Yakshapulled on a large rope. A few minutes later, a kumbhanda came and led Naruto and the girls away. It was just in time, as far as Naruto was concerned. When the three returned to the chamber, they were each asked to sit on a large decorative pillow.

"Cruelty by way of excessive or degrading punishment would, in the ultimate analysis, serve only to _retard_ progress towards well-being whether conceived in physical, mental, moral or spiritual terms." The elder Yaksha said. "Cruelty and inhuman treatment are no solutions to the misdeeds of human beings."

"Punishment should be reformatory and **_not_** punitive. The mind is considered supreme; and cruel physical treatment, if meted out, registers its injurious effects in the mind of the receiver and the giver alike." The next Yaksha in line had spoken up. "It is **_not_** possible for one administering injurious punishment to do so with equanimity or with compassion.

"Suitable punishment should enable the offender to examine himself or herself and come to terms with acceptable patterns of behavior." A third Yaksha nodded to another of his brethren when he was done.

"While degrading forms of punishment would produce the opposite effect, punishment tempered with tolerance, loving kindness, and compassion is likely to produce a more desirable result." The fourth cowled creature folded his hands together.

"Any punishment should be to the extent to which the offender needs to make amends, and then his or her rehabilitation is to be considered. Depending on the nature and gravity of the offence, acceptable punishment may range from a simple rebuke to banishing from the community or country." A small Yaksha looked back at the eldest.

"In his great wisdom and benevolence, Lord Virudhaka decided that you should **_not_** be put to death for your transgressions." The eldest shrugged, as if he were shocked by that fact.

"I still don't see why we need to be punished at all. I mean, _come on! _None of **_us_** started the fight."

Your presence caused the kitsune to follow you here. Your choice not to embrace death…… and your subsequent creation of many copies of yourself……gave the mikkyo cause to do the damage they did. Your words to the Great Lord may have prolonged your lives, but they were unmannerly and ill-chosen. The events you indirectly gave birth to had a negative effect on the karma of many creatures, including those you stand before now."

"It's all a bunch of crap," Naruto muttered under his breath. "They ought to punish Akatsuki, since _their_ freaking existence caused me to come here." He looked at Kuko. "That, and a crazed horny fox…."

"When you each made ready to enter the temple, you read of the Five Obstacles or Hindrances. I shall use the symbolism of numbers to determine your fates. As such, each of you will spend the next five days without the others, faced with your individual challenges." The Yaksha tapped his staff against the ground.

"But…… five days…… my cycle will be done…" Kuko turned a pleading look on the demigod, to no avail.

"Attraction and desire are one of the Hindrances," one of the younger Yaksha stated. "It was the hungers of the flesh that drove you. Thus, we will sentence you to five days without food. If you can resist _that _kind of hunger, you shall be released."

"Yes," another creature said. "There shall be fresh and tantalizing food brought into your room. That, as well as tempting drinks and water. The water you may have. If you take any of the other, you shall be held accountable to your previous promise, multiplied by five."

Kuko hung her head. Five years away from the family would feel like an eternity, even to one of her lifespan.

"Good thing that wasn't for _me," _Naruto said. "If you put a bowl of Ramen in front of me, I would be in big trouble!"

"Arrogance is also one of the Hindarances," the eldest Yaksi said, looking at Naruto. "You seem compelled to speak often, at times when a humble man would remain silent."

"Indeed, we have seen _much_ of that," a different Yakshi said. "For five days, you may have all the food you want."

"**Yes!**" Naruto rubbed his belly.

"But, you may well end up _as _food," the Yaksha continued. "For five days, you must not speak. Should you do so…… even the smallest of utterances…… the chained and fasting preta and sinpo in your room shall be let free, permitted to feast upon your body."

Naruto was suddenly mute.

"_N-N_-Naruto-kun…." Hinata looked stricken. She obviously did not think that her fellow shinobi was up to his task.

"Aversion and hatred are also Obstacles," a Yaksha said to Hinata. "While you are kind of heart, and do not hate or dislike others, the same _cannot_ be said for your feelings towards yourself. You lack the courage to truly know others, because you doubt everything about yourself."

"As such," the eldest Yaksha said, "You will be sent before a multitude of temple workers of all types, to tell them the complete story of your life, in all detail that you can recall."

"For five days, you will talk. At the end, should you convince them that you have enough good qualities to deserve a place amongst men, you shall be set free. Though, if you utter scornful words regarding your self, or fail in your task, you shall remain at the temple for the rest of your days." The sound of a smaller Yaksha's voice struck like the gavel on a judge's desk.

"If we succeed," Naruto started, sounding uncharacteristically subdued. "If we pass our tests, will we then be asked to leave, or can we speak with the Oracle first?"

"That will be permitted, should all three of you meet your challenges," the eldest Yaksha replied.

"Before we enter our places of confinement, could we be granted a single boon?" Kuko asked, speaking in very solemn fashion."

"And what would you ask for?" The eldest Yaksha asked.

"A _quickie_…." The kitsune said, licking her lips and grabbing hold of Naruto's arm.

"**Kuko!**" Naruto pulled free. "You really _should_ learn when to keep quiet!"

The Yaksha all hung their heads. "Take them away…." The eldest said.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Water is generally thought of as pure by its very nature, the essence of life and more precious than any other substance.

Good water is traditionally considered to have eight fine qualities. It is delicious, cool, smooth, light, clear, pure, and harmful neither to throat nor stomach.

Visitors to the temple universally praised the water of the land, saying that in simply _appreciating_ its excellent qualities, it could be mentally offered joyfully to the Buddhas.

Neither Hinata nor Kuko paid much attention to the large crystal pitcher of water sitting before then on an carven and polished ebony table. Their reflections in the table top looked worried, since they themselves were very concerned.

Their tests had started at the same time. As such, each of their punishments **_should_** have ended at the same time. The fact that the two of them had been sitting there for close to thirty minutes made every minute of Naruto's absence more and more excruciating.

"Water has many qualities making it appear animated. On this basis it is understandable that water might become a natural phenomenon worthy of worship. Water is usually in motion; it brings new life to the dead vegetation and dried land; it refreshes men and animals, the tired and the ill, and it heals. It also has a cleansing quality as it washes dirt, dissolves dust, making it most suitable for purifying the soul." The eldest Yaksha droned on about the nature of water, as he walked around a flame at the center of the room..

Kuko watched the demigod, knowing that he was tending his personal _dhuni_ or sacred fire. As a creature of nature, she appreciated the coincidence, the fact that he was tending a fire while speaking about water. Both forces are often seen as purifying as well as protective.

The fire pit was round, and faced with a fresh layer of cow-dung which, being one of the five sacred products of the cow, is considered a purifying substance itself. The pit was adorned with fresh flowers, golden marigolds with the noble colou of kings.

The Yaksha sprinkled the area surrounding the pit with water, careful not to get any on the practitioner's ritual utensils arranged near it. Those included a trident, a short staff, and a _damaru _drum used to provide the rhythm for Shiva's dance at ceremony time.

"In the sacred scriptures the origin of people is frequently connected with life-giving rivers, which spout from the home of the gods where the great snows fall from the sky. From a valley of water, the heavenly body of Adi Buddha appeared from the depths of water, in the form of flame on a lotus flower. So when that god appeared in the void and watery chaos, his mortal servants drained the lake of water, creating what we call heaven and earth.

"Thus, order was created out of the chaos, which had been a fathomless lake inhabited by Nagas and other serpents. Naturally then, water is viewed as the foundation of all lives." The cowled demigod looked over at Hinata with a curious eye.

The white-eyed girl kept looking towards the door. Her test had proven very difficult for her, but she managed to succeed. It had taken great force of will to talk to a restless audience of Yaksha, Naga, ging, maras, tsen, gandharvasand kumbhandas

about any subject, much less herself.

Smiling, she realized that the experience had taught her things about herself.

"From early days, water has been regarded as a tangible manifestation of the divine essence. In the beginning, everything was like a sea without a light. To this day, one of the most common and simple objects of worship in the daily ritual is a jar or pitcher filled with water, representing the presence of the divinity and serving in the place of a sacred image. Boundless and imperishable, the cosmic water is at once the immaculate source of all things and the dreadful grave." The Yaksha peered over at the kitsune, who looked very downcast.

Kuko sighed, knowing that her estrous period had ended. It had been enjoyable, sharing intimacy with Naruto in their lust-charged state. But, when all was said and done, it was another child that she had wanted.

Her sadness had actually aided her in her task. While she had maintained a healthy thirst for water, she had not felt the stirrings of hunger.

But, it was more than that. During their travels, she had begun to feel fondness for the boy, and for Hinata as well. She had started off calling the girl 'little sister' as an innocent means of mockery, but now found herself thinking more kindly of her.

_It's amazing what shared dangers can bring about._

The two girls looked up. There was a loud voice down the corridor, approaching. Soon enough they stood up, recognizing that voice.

"And I tell you, if scared the _shit _out of me! Can you imagine, he was supposed to be looking out for me, but he tossed me down a damn bottomless ravine so I could discover how to use Nine Tail's chakra?" It was Naruto. Marching along, ands waving his arms in animated fashion, he was regaling a rapt troop of ogres and kumbhandas with his past experiences.

"And when I did finally summon a frog, man was he a _whopper!" _He stopped, looked in the room, and called out "Hey, has that windbag been boring you with lectures or something?"

The Yaksha grasped his staff tightly.

Kuko and Hinata both ran to his side. Looking down at the white-eyed girl, the kitsune pushed her gently forward. Hinata surprised everyone by giving Naruto a quick hug before blushing and stepping back.

The fox woman started off doing the same, but then winked to Hinata and knocked Naruto to the floor, covering him with kisses.

"**Hey!**" Naruto said, frowning when he saw the ogres snickering.

"_Sorry," _Kuko said. "I was just getting it out of my system."

"I believe the women were worried about you," the Yaksha said with understated sarcasm. "I had expected to hear word of your demise, giving the tardiness of your arrival. Did the attendant I sent arrive late?"

"No," Naruto said. "He…… and my pals here…… came when they should have. I just wasn't ready to leave yet."

"_Oh?" _The Yaksha asked. "You found the company of pretas and sinpo **_that _**pleasant? Perhaps there is a greater streak of tolerance in you than I first surmised."

"Nope." Naruto smiled. "Those bloodthirsty assholes kept moaning and blabbering the whole time, louder and louder. When I tossed them food to shut them up, thy threw it back at me. I didn't care much for being the 'special of the day,' I can tell you _that."_

"Let me guess," Kuko said, smirking. "You took some time to say your goodbyes?"

"**_Right!_**" Naruto gave the kitsune a thumb up. "I felt a need for some exercise, so I did _Kage Bunshin_. The guys and I kicked the crap out of those bastards." Naruto folded his arms over his chest.

Hinata actually smiled, hearing that.

The Yaksha just shook his head and sighed. "I am at too big of a loss for words to give you the riddle you deserve. I feel a need for prolonged meditation. The tsen and kumbhandas will escort you to the Oracle's chamber." Before walking out of the room, he bowed. "If I am fortunate, we _won't_ meet again."

"He didn't seem in such a great mood. What did you guys do to him?" Naruto looked over at Hinata.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The chamber of the Oracle was huge.

Massive columns of marble took on the shape of fabulous beasts, both real and imaginary.

A vast painted ceiling took on the appearance of a starry night, with nebulous painted faces of demigods and deities looking down from vague dark clouds. Lengthy chains of silver hung down, holding lamps shaped as spheres and six-pointed stars.

Located at the center of the room, a relatively small flame was kept lit eternally, sending a small trail of smoke upwards. The enormous walls were decorated by murals, tapestries, and bas reliefs.

There were no creatures present. Naruto, Hinata, and Kuko sat on one of the massive stone benches, all of which were arranged in concentric circles of decreasing size. Silk cushions decorated the benches, while long embroidered pillows served as footrests.

"So, who **_is _**this Oracle guy?" Naruto asked the kitsune. "Where is he?"

"The room itself is the Oracle," Kuko answered. "It will fill with the spirit of one celestial spirit or another, then reverberate with its voice. If you're fortunate, a charitable god will play that roll. That way, all things happening on our world might be known to it."

"When will the spirit arrive?" Hinata asked. "Will we wait long? Is there something we need to do to call the being? A ceremony? Ritual offerings?"

"I can't say for sure," the fox woman replied. "We have never had an Oracle at the Temple of Inari." She ran her hand through her hair, then stood up. "I might be the very reason that nothing is happening. The Yaksha **_did_** say that the Oracle would appear before us to answer the question of importance to Konoha." She shrugged. "I'm not of that village."

Kuko began walking from the amphitheatre.

"I'll see if I can find someone who knows what is going on. You two behave while I'm gone." The kitsune shook her finger. "The effects of the gem have worn off. _Keep your clothes on!"_

Naruto screwed up his face. Hinata blushed.

The minutes stretched on and on. Finally, Naruto spotted something. A strange mist began filling the floor of the great room. It moved this way and that, as if it were alive. The sound of faint drum beats could be heard, and a fresh scent was on the air,

A voice rang out, filling the room.

"**WHO IS IT, THAT HAS COME BEFORE ME SEEKING WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE?**"

"Uhhh…" Naruto cleared his throat. "Uzumaki Naruto, shinobi of the Leaf, citizen of the village of Kohoha on…." He had no idea how any spirit might refer to his world or plane of existence. "On my world." That would have to do.

"Ummm…… Hyuuga Hinata…… ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village…." Hinata watched as the mist grew and grew, taking on the shape of a humanoid figure, almost as tall as the ceiling.

"**AND WHAT IS THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT INTO MY PRESENCE?**"

"There is an organization of nine great criminals, calling itself Akatsuki, looking to capture me and obtain the power of the demon fox Kyuubi." Naruto patted his belly. "We have no idea what they may be after, or who their members may be."

"We come seeking answers, wanting to know how to stop them." Hinata swallowed hard, when it looked as if the great shape was turned towards her.

"**IF I LOOK DEEP INTO YOUR HEARTS, WILL I SEE THAT YOUR WORDS ARE TRUE, AND THAT YOUR PURPOSE IS INDEED NOBLE?"**

"Yes!" Naruto said, striking a nice guy pose. "That's my Ninja Way!"

"It is my way too," Hinata added.

The smoke became nebulous, then quickly moved to envelope them.

"**FINALLY, AFTER TRAVELLING FAR AND STRIVING AGHAINST OBSTACLES, ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE FOR YOUR ANSWER?"**

"Certainly! Wait…." Naruto pursed his lips. He had no idea what the unknown spirit might require from them. "We need to know more."

"What is the cost?" Hinata asked.

"**I SEE THE IMAGE OF A FROG. LIKE THE BUTTERFLY, THE FROG IS A SYMBOL OF REINCARNATION. ALSO IS IT ASSOCIATED WITH AUSPICIOUSNESS AND PROSPERITY. FINALLY, IT IS CONNECTED TO FERTILITY, WHICH CAN BE CONSIDERED AN ASPECT OF PROSPERITY."**

"Huh?" Naruto scratched his head. "That doesn't make any sense." He knew that he had a contract with frogs. But, how could that matter to an oracular spirit?

"Could you please explain your words?" Hinata asked.

The mist took on the form of a frog, then changed again. It ended with the figure of a fox.

"**I SEE ALSO THE IMAGE OF A FOX. THE FOX IS A SYMBOL OF DECISIVENESS AND CUNNING. IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH CONFIDENCE, CUNNING, AND THE DILIGENT PURSUIT OF AN EVER MORE ADVANCED STATE. IT IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH EROTICISM, WHICH CAN BE CONSIDERED A COMPANION TO FERTILITY."**

"What? I still don't understand what you are trying to tell me." Naruto clenched his fists. Did the mention of a fox somehow imply Kyuubi? He swallowed hard. Or might it relate to a kitsune?

"Is there more that you intend to say?" Hinata queried.

"**THE PRINCIPAL FORCES ARE CREATION, PROVIDENCE, AND DISSOLUTION. THE THREE MOVE THE WORLD THROUGH AN UNENDING PROCESS OF BIRTH, BALANCE, AND DESTRUCTION. MAN MUST RENDEAVOR TO MAINTAIN THE HARMONY OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM. IN DOING SO, PROPER BALANCE WILL BE KEPT BETWEEN GODLY AND DEMONIC FORCES. YOU HAVE THROWN OFF THAT BALANCE."**

Naruto began to squirm some. He did not get the point the Oracle was trying to make about him. How had he thrown of the balance of the system?

"How have I caused imbalance?" He asked. "What should I do to restore balance?"

"**THERE IS A DEMON FOX WITHIN YOU. THAT NEEDS TO BE BALANCED BY A GOOD FOX INSIDE ANOTHER. OTHERWISE, THE INEQUITY WILL LEAD TO A WORSENING STATE OF HARMONY FOR ALL IN YOUR LIFE."**

"So, in payment, I have to put a good fox somewhere? I don't have that power. The great youma was placed in me by one far more powerful than I am." Naruto was beginning to get frustrated. He did not want to be given a task he couldn't possibly complete.

Hinata began twisting her hair between her fingers. She had a rather contemplative look on her face.

"**YOU MUST FIND A SOLUTION. ALL DEPENDS ON YOU. THE ONE SITTING NEAR YOU CANNOT BEAR A FOX. BUT, I SENSE THAT THERE IS ONE WHO CAN CARRY SUCH A CHILD."**

Naruto froze. A fox child. He had no doubt what the oracular spirit was referring to.

"But…… but the one you speak of…… that one is now incapable of getting knocked up." He swallowed hard, glad that Kuko wasn't still with them.

Hinata brushed her hands together. She looked over at Naruto.

"This is very personal talk, Naruto-kun. I am going to see if I can find Kuko." With that, she left the amphitheatre.

"**IF IT CANNOT BE DONE NOW, THAT IS A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, YOU CAN SWEAR ON YOUR HONOR AND LIFE THAT YOU WILL PERFORM THE BALANCING PROCESS, WHEN THE ONE IS READY FOR YOU. GIVE THAT PLEDGE, AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE ANSWER YOU SEEK**."

"_Shit!" _Talk about difficult bargains. By all accounts, it sounded like he had to promise to get Kuko pregnant in order to get the answer that he and the village needed. _Damn! _If not Kuko specifically, then one of the family.

He could chose one of the others…… each one was unbelievably cute….

_Geez! _What was he thinking? It looked like he was right back where he had started.

"**SO, IN ADHERING TO THE PRECEPT OF NOT LYING, DO YOU SWEAR TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY ACT OF CREATION, SO THAT BALANCE CAN RETURN? WILL YOU…… OH, HI HINATA…… WHAT? SHIT!"**

"Huh?" Naruto tensed up. Hinata? Why would the Oracle be addressing Hinata if she wasn't there with him? _Kuko! _Damn her tricks!

The images. The voice. Everything. It had been illusion, created by the kitsune.

_Kuko had been close to getting him to promise to…._

"**Damn her!**" Naruto hated to be played for a fool. He had bought into that illusion completely. Still, he couldn't help but smile. He could appreciate a good idea.

Kuko and Hinata eventually made there way back into the room. Kuko simply shrugged and winked when she walked by.

"Thanks, Hinata! I owe you one." Naruto saluted his fellow ninja.

"Want to know what you should ask for?" The kitsune asked Hinata. She chuckled, seeing the look on Naruto's face.

At that time, any further conversation was put on hold. A group of temple personnel in remarkably colorful ethnic garb were filing into the room, making two rows. In between them, two large ogres walked in, one carrying a huge ornate helmet and the other a large weighty series of robes. Following behind them was a slender bald-headed man of indeterminate age.

Seeing the three supplicants, the man walked over to meet with them. As he came close enough for Naruto and the others to examine more closely, they realized that he was not actually human. His eyes were larger than they expected, and his ears were slightly tufted.

"Though you might be surprised to look at me, I am the temple Oracle," the man-like creature said pleasantly. " I have spent my time in meditation, to prepare for the trance I will enter. I have purified my mind and body, so will be fit to be a vessel for the beings I will contact." He spent a few moments explaining what would take place, and how they would know when he had been entered by some transcendental spirit.

"How will I know when to ask my questions?" Naruto asked. "And how will I know if the answers are true?"

"_Ah! _I will address the last part first. My answer will **_not_** be vague, like those given by most Mediums. It will be highly specific. Likewise, it will not merely be a series of possibilities. It will be _entirely_ true." The Oracle smiled, showing more teeth than a man would have. "But, there can be only one question. Limiting, perhaps; but, except in the rarest of cases, an answer **_should _**be forthcoming."

"_D-D_-Do we each get a question?" Hinata squared her shoulders, remembering her recent test. "Or, will the three of us be limited to a single inquiry?"

"I'd like to know how to get ninja boy here to round me up like a melon!" Kuko said with an irreverent smirk. "That's the _only _question that really means anything." She smiled at the Oracle. "I need to be ready for next year."

"I'm tempted to ask how to get her to go away," Naruto said. "But, she'd probably just find some way to come back!" He jumped when Kuko goosed him. "_Hey! _Aren't you out of heat yet?"

"Yes," Kuko said. "I'm just doing this for fun. Besides, while you can't get me with pups right now, you can _still_ show me a good time."

The Oracle looked at Hinata. The girl just shrugged.

Naruto went on to describe the situation with Akatsuki, telling the Oracle everything he knew about the organization, which wasn't much. He then went on to provide background information on himself, the Fourth Hokage, and Nine Tails.

"Residing in this temple, one hears _many_ miraculous tales." The Oracle smiled. "Yours is worthy of standing amongst them. Or, it may be worthy some day." He raised one arm, which had his attendants arranging his items and ushering in a group of musicians. "From what you have told me, I can suggest four possible questions, loosely corresponding to the four enlightened activities.

"What?" Naruto asked. He was beginning to get tired of numbers and symbolism.

"Don't worry about it," the Oracle said smiling. "You need not be a believer. For _magnetizing, _I see the question **'Who exactly are the individuals making up the Nine'**. For _increasing_, I see the question **'What are the powers that they each possess'**. For _pacifying, _I see the question **'What precisely are their plans for the demon fox'**. And, finally, for _destroying_, I see the question **'What specific thing can be done, that will foil their overall plan'**."

Naruto looked over at Hinata.

"It is your decision, Naruto-kun." She said.

"Well," Naruto said, scratching his cheek. "It **_would _**be nice to know what those jerks want to do with me…… _but, _the most important thing would be to find out how we can screw up their plan for Kohoha and the other villages." Hinata nodded, approving of his line of reasoning.

"_That _shall be the question I ask, then." The Oracle headed back to prepare for the rite. "Pay attention," he said. "The answer will only come once, and I _won't _remember it when I return to consciousness."

"**_You got it!_**" Naruto said, giving the Oracle a big smile. "And _thanks!"_

As the Oracle descended to the floor of the magnificent room, groups of temple monks began chanting prayers. Invocations were worked as musicians began playing horns, cymbals, and drums.

Standing at the center of the room, surrounded by his various attendants, the tall creature entered the first of his trance states. The chanted prayers became more and more energetic, leaving Naruto, Hinata, and Kuko feeling slightly on edge, as they anticipated the occurrence of some spectacular event.

Large muscled men carried ornate robes of gold-colored silk to the Oracle, helping him dress in the weighty garments, all of which were covered with ancient designs or red, blue, green, and yellow.

_He did not seem to notice the great burden placed on his body._

"If someone made me dress like **_that, _**I'd kick their ass." Naruto looked on in rapt attention. If things went well, he would have the answer he needed, and he and Hinata could leave this crazy place and go home.

"_Shhhhhhh." _Kuko said. "This is a once in a lifetime experience."

Hinata remained silent, taking in every detail.

After a group of elegantly dressed women made an appearance, clad in beautifully woven vests and skirts made from colored strips of leather, they approached the Oracle and hung a large circular mirror on his chest. The polished steel was rimmed by amethyst and turquoise.

The tall being entered a deeper stage of trance.

A heavy helmet crested with peacock, vulture, and cock feathers was placed on his head. In his normal state, the weight would have been enough to break his neck. The helmet was covered in gold and precious stones, with a large piece of red glass sitting at the very top. Leather cords wrapped in silk secured the massive item to his head.

The chanting grew louder. The music grew more spirited. When the red glass on the Oracle's helmet glowed red, and silent bells attached to is robes began to ring, the mirror on his chest began bouncing faster and faster, showing how strong and rapid his heartbeat had become.

Possessed by a spirit that entered him, the creature took a sword that was handed him, and then began swinging it about in dramatic fashion, beginning his _cham_ ritual dance. The movements were martial and wrathful, but dignified as well.

"I think the guy needs less sugar in his diet," Naruto said, transfixed.

"Naruto-kun, _shhhhhhh." _Hinata found that her own heart was beating faster.

Kuko held her hands to her chest, her breathing growing more and more rapid.

Time and time again, the Oracle bowed low, arms crossed over his chest. Then, abruptly, he began spinning from side to side, until he came to a stop. When his mouth opened, he spoke in a voice that was not his own.

Naruto memorized what he heard, word for word. Out of context, the answer meant nothing to him, but he hoped that it would be of crucial importance later on.

Attendants rushed immediately to remove the helmet and robes before the Oracle returned to his normal state. The exhausted creature was led away, needing to sleep for the next few days.

As the three visitors to the temple stood, their task complete, a Yaksha appeared in the nearest doorway, motioning them to follow.

_It was time for them to leave the temple._


	13. thirteen

The hallways were finally empty again, except for a stray denizen or two.

The loud ruckus had long since ceased, and groups of monks had cleaned up whatever mess had been made during the alert.

Naruto and his companions were **_finally_** cleared to leave their room, after large numbers of Yaksha, pretas, and kumbhandas had dealt with the intrusion of a powerful Rakshasa.

"The sooner we get out of here, the better!" Naruto said, escorted by a number of monks who looked to be that realm's equivalent of humans, at least as best as he could tell. "Who knows what might happen _next?" _

"It was a very interesting place," Hinata said, glad to be able to head home.

"I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, already." Kuko said with a dramatic sigh. "After all, this was the place where you and I sampled our first fruits of passion ."

Naruto muttered under his breath.

"You shall all follow me," one monk said, his shaved head glistening with oil. "Since the time that you entered this temple, a great winter storm has hit these lands." He nodded to his fellow acolytes, who began unfolding large woolen blankets. "The winds are too strong and the bridges are too icy. You will need to take the long trails, but the snow is too deep for you to walk."

Before Naruto could reply, he and his fellow travelers flattened themselves against the wall. A number of hideous slavering creatures ran past, chased by a group of pretas.

"Inform the high ones that we seem to have an infestation problem _again," _the monk said to one of his group. "It is the boar-headed and dog-headed spirits."

"If the snow is too deep to walk in, how will we make our way to the tree we need?" Hinata watched as the spirits darted from one room to the next, disrupting the activities inside.

"You shall take the elephants," the monk said, leading them into a part of the temple that they had never passed through before. "We will guide them for you."

"We'll only need _two," _Kuko said. "Little sister can ride on one. The boy and I will share a blanket on the other." She smiled wickedly. "I can think of a good way to keep us warm."

"**Shit!**" Naruto moved away from the kitsune, who had formed one tail and used it to tickle his ear. "We will need _three_ elephants. For their sake, make certain that they are female." He whispered something in the monk's ear.

"_Really?" _The startled monk asked, looking at Kuko and backing away himself.

"What did you say?" The fox woman asked, her face clouding over some.

A few minutes walk down winding stairways brought them all to a series of large stalls located outside of the temple proper. A strong animal smell was present, as were a large number of elements.

"This way," the monk said. "The three of you can fit on the back, while I ride up near the neck." He showed them how to mount an elephant that waited patiently by a pair of large sliding doors.

When everyone was comfortable, wrapped in blankets, and wearing fur-lined caps and gloves they were handed, a number of stable workers slid the doors open.

The whiteness of the snow, and the light shining off of it, made Naruto and the others shield their eyes with their hands.

"You are _most _fortunate," the monk said, as the elephant slogged its way through the snow. He had to shout to be heard against the wind. "The elephant stands for the boundless powers of a Buddha……miraculous aspiration, analysis, intention, and effort. " He laughed. "Though, it would be easier if elephants _still_ had their wings."

"Wings?" Hinata asked, pulling her blanket around her neck, blinking as the large fluffy snowflakes battered against her face.

"Yes," the guide answered. "It is said that once elephants had wings. One day, one was flying over a very large old banyan tree somewhere to the north of a great mountain. Wishing to rest for awhile, it settled upon one of the uppermost branches." The monk called out a command to the elephant they rode, tapping its side with a long bamboo pole.

Kuko transformed into her fox form, to better snuggle up in her blankets. Playfully, she snapped at some of the snowflakes, nipping Naruto's ear in the process.

"_But_ the branch could not support the weight of the animal and it cracked, and fell upon a meditating hermit sitting below. This yogi, whose name was Dirghatapas, lost his temper and cursed away the wings of the poor beast. From that day to this, elephants have had to walk."

Hinata knew that it was only a story, but it made her smile just the same.

"**Hey!**" Naruto shouted to the monk. "There were a lot of freaky creatures at the temple. Is there anything we need to worry about in these mountains?"

"Only the yeti," the guide answered. "But, the snows are not deep enough too their liking, and it is too early in the season." He looked up at the thick cloud-covered sky. "Of course, if the Garuda makes an appearance, we would be in _grave_ danger."

Kuko covered her eyes with her paws. She had heard of the Garuda. Prompted by Naruto, who struck a pose as best he could in his blankets, the monk related to them the story of the fabulous beast.

"_The time was in the beginning, when Siwa and Parwati had just created the world, and when the gods had fought with the giants for the control of the holy water of life, the amerta._

_The gods and giant demons were discussing how to get the water of life when the god Wisnu said 'Hey you, gods and giants, if want the water of life, try to churning the sea of milk, above the amerta.' This, they decided to do."_

The monk guided the elephant along a steep snowy concourse, only able to know where the path was because of his experience.

"_First, they had the dragon Anantabhoga uproot the mountain Mandara and put it in the middle of the sea of milk, on the back of a tortoise. The mountain became the churning instrument. Next, they asked the dragon Basuki to be the churning rope. Then they called in gods on one side and the demons on the other. The gods were to pull on one extremity, the demons on the other. Indra, the king of the gods, sat on the top of the mountain to stabilize it. _

"_They began pulling. From the churning waters sprouted the goddess Sri, the goddess Laksmi, the horse Ucaisrawa and the cosmic jewel Kastubamani. They all fell on the side of the gods._

"_When the water of life, amerta, came out, it fell on the side of the giants. Wisnu devised a trick. He turned himself into a beautiful girl. The girl goaded the demons into entrusting her with carrying the water. She had barely gotten the amerta of life when she ran away, turning back into Wisnu. The Gods and the demons have been at war ever since."_

"Yeh. I guess I would be pretty pissed too. I don't think much of people who take on the form of girls to trick people." He cursed when Kuko wriggled out from her blanket and bit him. "Especially when they're after **_my_** water of life!" He took off one glove and smacked the fox.

The monk just shook his head before continuing.

"_At the time of the churning of the sea of milk, Garuda was still an egg. He was also the unborn younger brother of Arjuna, the charioteer of the sun, and the unborn half-brother of the Nagas. The seer Kasiapa was father to them all._

"_An argument broke out between Kasiapa's wives Kadru and Winata on the color of the tail of the horse Ucaistraw. Kadru claimed that the horse was white and black-tailed, while Winata insisted it was completely white. Fed up with quarreling, they eventually settled on a bet. Whoever was proven wrong would become the other's slave."_

"Hmmmmmm. I like the sound of that. Why don't **_we_** have a bet?" The kitsune took human form and wrapped her arms around Naruto, winking at Hinata in the process. "Want a slave? I won't mind…"

Naruto looked over at Hinata. "Hinata, I bet you that Kuko won't stop pestering me."

The kitsune pouted. "Little sister wouldn't be much of a slave…."

The guide chuckled to himself. None of the other monks would believe any of this. The simplicity and quietude of the monastic life was never more appealing.

"_Kadru was indeed wrong. The horse had no black tail; but, before her rival knew it, she concocted a deception. She had her children the snakes spray the tail of the horse with their white poison. Thus the tail turned black. Winata then became Kadru's slave. The moment of enslavement for the mother was the moment of birth for the son. The egg was hatching. _

"_The great bird Garuda eventually came to life shining like fire, his glaring light filling the firmament in all directions. The amazed gods thought that doomsday was coming and that at last, the time had come for the burning of the three worlds. But Agni, the god of fire, knew the truth. His praise had the bird-creature turning off its great glow._

"_After he found his enslaved mother, Garuda was assigned to guarding his half brothers. But he was naughty. Whenever he could, he would surreptitiously kill one of the Naga and eat it. At length he got tired of his duty and addressed his half brothers in these words: 'Hey! You snakes, tell me how can I buy back my mother's freedom'."_

Naruto laughed. "I wish I had known this story before. I could have mentioned the Garuda to those stuck up Naga bastards. Ah well, maybe next time."

Hinata gave Naruto a pointed look. She hoped that there wouldn't _be_ a next time. Life was complicated enough with rival shinobi and warring villages. She would make it a habit to stay away from Umbrella Pines.

_"You really intend to buy your mother's freedom back?" came the reply from the Naga, "You want to break her bonds of slavery? Listen. Did you ever hear about the water of immortality, the holy amerta, which the gods obtained in the churning of the sea of milk? Go and get it for us'." _

"_Knowing at last what to do, Garuda went to his mother to ask for her advice and her blessing. She instructed him to first to an island by the other shore of the sea. It is peopled with villains and killers. 'Kill them and eat them, one by one. They are to be your food during your quest for the amerta' she told her son._

"_Garuda left and soon began a rampage, killing and eating every villain, turtle and elephant he came upon. He eventually reached the peak of Somaka, source of the amerta, in the land of Sangka."_

The monk called out more commands to the elephant, which had crested one hill and was headed for the next.

"Ever since those days, the great bird has had a taste for elephant."

Eventually, the three intrepid souls found themselves standing back at the great tree. In this realm, a different method of accessing the portal was needed. The monk accomplished the activation, chanting and swing a lit incenses ball at the end of a chain.

As she waited, Hinata looked off in the distance, barely seeing the outline of the great pagoda through the falling snow. It had been quite an experience for her. She doubted that her father, Hanabi, or Neji would believe a word of it. In any case, she would be certain to leave certain things out of her telling.

Naruto took a moment to look as well. Some momentous events have occurred. He had come in a boy, and was leaving a man, at least in one sense of the word. Even more important, he had gone in search of an answer, and had succeeded in his mission.

Kuko couldn't care less. She had been to a number of kami temples over her lifetime. If you see one, you've seen them all. But, she would take some pleasant memories with her just the same, even though she failed to get what she wanted most.

When Naruto was the last of the three to step out of the tree and back into his own world, he looked through the forest at the setting sun and smiled. All they had to do now was make it home to Konoha safely. That shouldn't be much trouble.

"I think we should make a fire and settle in for the night," Hinata said. "We're all tired. It would be best to start our journey at the break of dawn."

"We already **_have_** a fire," a familiar voice called out. "We've been waiting for you. What took you so long?" Tenko walked into view.

Before Naruto knew what was happening, all of the kitsune came running towards them, headed for Kuko.

"Tell us… tell us… tell us…"Genko said excitedly, her face eager. "Did you **_do_** it? Did you seduce him? Did his seed give you a daughter?"

Before Kuko could answer, Kiko was tapping her on the shoulder. "Why were you gone so long? Did it take that long to win him over? Was it everything you thought it would be?"

Koryu pushed the others aside. "_Oooooooooooh. _I'm so jealous. We were **_all _**so jealous. You're _so_ lucky!"

Watching the expression on Kuko's face, Tenko already knew the answer. "We will add no more children this cycle."

"No," Kuko said sadly. "But _not_ for lack of trying."

Shakko and Nogitsune came over to offer Kuko support. "What happened?" Nogitsune asked.

"Well, the boy is no longer a virgin…." Kuko said, fluffing her hair. She smiled when the younger kitsune clapped their hands. "But, we were interrupted at a most inopportune time." She nodded towards Hinata.

"**_What!_**" Shakko glared at Hinata. "Did _little sister _stop you?"

"Yes, she certainly did." Kuko gave a brief summary of her trick, which had her family members grinning in admiration. "The Yaksha would have stopped us anyway, I suppose. But, if it wasn't for **_me, _**it would have been _little sister _who would have ended up in the birthing room."

"**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH**"

The kitsune all looked over at Hinata. The small white-eyed girl blushed and rubbed her fingers together.

"It's always the quiet ones," Tenko said, chuckling at Hinata's discomfort. "Among humans. There are no quiet ones amongst _us."_

"Tell me about it!" Naruto sat and stewed. He did **_not _**like being talked about as if he wasn't there. And, he wasn't some kind of freaking prize or something.

"Our hero sounds so sad," Kiko said.

"Yes, we should find some way to cheer him up," Koryu added.

"**Kisses!**" Genko shouted, leading the charge.

Before he could defend himself, Naruto was knocked to the ground and covered by kitsune. He was kissed soundly, and felt numerous soft parts of womanly anatomy pressing against every part of his body. He knocked the whole bunch of them off of him, when he sat up forcibly.

Shakko had grabbed hold of a paired part of his lower anatomy and asked a shocked Hinata if human males treasured those things as much as kitsune did their Hoshi-no-tama.

"I don't think they come off," Kiko had said mischievously. "Though we _could _always check!"

"**_HEY-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y_**…."

Naruto stood with his hands covering his zipper area. It had almost been easier dealing with sinpo and pretas.

"Aren't you all done being in heat?" He shook his fist at Tenko, whom he thought should make an effort to restrain the family.

"We are," Nogitsune said. "Our burning need is gone.

"Yes,"Genko added. "Now it's just a hobby."

"Uh huh," Koryu put in, grinning impishly. "We all know the way to Konoha."

Naruto's eyes widened. He began to sweat. He had thought that his troubles would be over once he made it back to the village. He hoped that the kitsune were simply teasing him.

"You know, _little sister_…." Kuko walked over to stand by Hinata. "The promises I made to Naruto are all null and void now that we're back."

Hinata raised an eyebrow wondering just what the fox woman was up to.

"I feel sorry for _little sister," _Kuko said to the other kitsune. "She worked very hard, and was very brave. But, she **_never _**got her reward." She smirked. "Of all of us here, she is the only one who has never know the full pleasures of womanhood."

"Poor girl!" Kiko said.

"We should help her," Shakko exclaimed.

"Yes," Kuko nodded. "If I took possession of her body…… and Nogitsune or Shakko took control of our hero's…… just think of the fun that we all could have."

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other and stood stunned. Would Kuko and the others pull such an underhanded stunt?

You bet they would!

"And after _little sister_ was done, we could **_all _**take our turns," Kiko said. Looking over at Tenko, she hurriedly bowed. "After Tenko went first, of course."

The silver haired Celestial fox shook her head. "It's very tempting." She winked at Naruto. "Very tempting _indeed. _But, did the two of them help keep the mikkyo away from you, Kuko? Don't we owe them our gratitude?"

"Yes," Kuko answered in a sullen voice, kicking at a tree root. "But, we're even! I helped heal little sister, or she would have died!" Her face brightened as she pleaded her case.

"But she wouldn't have gotten hurt if she hadn't been defending you…." Tenko's look was very stern.

"Yes…… I _guess_…." Kuko started tugging at her hair, a rather perturbed look on her face.

After that, Tenko went on to describe how the group of them had managed to stay one step ahead of the rogue males. It had been close going for a while. But, whenever one of them became submissive, the others grabbed her and ran away to safety.

Kuko went on to tell their end of the encounter. A number of the kitsune walked over and sat next to Hinata, thanking her. The looks they gave Naruto were grateful as well.

Later, while the group of them sat around the fire, eating the food that the younger kitsune had caught, Genko complained "I guess that means he is safe from us for now."

"Only in **_one_** way," Shakko answered. "Up until now, he's only seen our softer side." She winked behind Naruto's back to Nogitsune, who spoke next.

"That's right. But we should be able to hold off for a while. After all, they _are_ our friends."

"Huh?" Naruto figured that some kind of nonsense was afoot. But, with kitsune, he could never be sure. "Is there a darker side?" Tsunade had told him some stories about mischievous kitsune by way of warning.

"Yes," Shakko said. "Sometimes, it's merely mysterious. Sometimes." She began reciting a tale:

"_One evening, a young scholar was staggering down a trail in the mountains, drunk from having imbibed too much at a local celebration." _

She stopped a moment, to nibble on her rabbit bone, then picked upwhere she had left off.

"_He was in such a hurry that he didn't even have time to go into the woods, and he relieved himself right on the road, pissing for a long time right there. Just as he was pulling his pants up and tying the strings, he heard a young_ _woman's voice."_

Nogitsune took up the tale, then.

'_I am eternally grateful to you,' the kitsune spirit said. 'I died a maiden, and so I was buried here in a flat grave. But now that you have shown me your most precious thing, I can go into the next world fulfilled.' The young scholar was frightened out of his wits. When he ran from that site, he had thought that he had escaped her. But, the ghost appeared to him after that, every time he tried to make love to a woman."_

"Yeh. Right.As if a kitsune girl **_could_ **ever die a maiden," Naruto grumped.

"_Little sister_, did you see_ his_ precious thing?" Kiko asked, looking at Naruto. All of the other kitsune leaned forward and stared at Hinata.

"Ummm….." The white-eyed girl didn't answer. She didn't have to. The look on her face gave her away.

"**Ha**…" Naruto cleared his throat. "That was some darker side," he sneered, wanting to change the subject. Hinata gave him a look laced with gratitude.

"Well then, listen up, before you judge too quickly." Shakko threw some twigs into the fire. Sparks danced upward for a moment, like small glowing gnats.

"_One day a man relieved himself on a bone that was lying on the path."_

The kitsune stopped, then looked at Naruto. "Hmmmmm. You men do that a lot. Is that so you can see your precious thing?" The kitsune's comment had everyone chuckling.

"Can we see it too?"Genko asked. "It's only fair. We didn't get to go on the adventure with you."

Tenko had to shush the lot of them. Shakko returned to the story.

"_The man was relieving himself. As he did so, he spoke to himself, asking 'Is it warm?'He was surprised when the bone answered. 'It's warm'. The frightened man ran away, hardly able to pull his pants up, and the bone chased him. Finally, he came to an ale house and he escaped out of the back."_

"Whoa. That's some scar-r-r-r-r-y shit!" Naruto said, shaking his head.

"I'm not done yet," Shakko said.

"_Years later the same man stopped at an ale house to drink, and he was served by a ravishingly beautiful woman. 'My, he said to her, 'you look familiar for some reason.' 'I should,' she replied. 'Because I'm the bone you made water on all those years ago and I've been waiting for you!' And suddenly she changed into her true form, which was a fox, and she ate him up."_

The kitsune changed into her fox form, then jumped on Naruto.

Naruto scrambled backward, banging his head hard on a tree. Shakko took on human form again, bowed, then walked back to her seat.

Hinata giggled. She tried to look innocent when Naruto glared at her.

"Shakko may have been teasing you when she jumped," Tenko said. "But the story is truth, _not_ legend."

Nogitsune nodded. "So is **_this _**story." She looked over at Tenko. "Should I tell him the tale of The Fox Sister? It might frighten him. And, he _may _cease trusting us, if he knows too much about our kind."

"You have my permission. If he becomes affrighted, no doubt _little sister _can comfort him." Tenko's words had Naruto scowling.

"OK," Nogitsune said.

"_A long time ago there was a man who had three sons but no daughter. It was his dearest wish to have a daughter, so he went up into the mountains and prayed to the spirits. One night, after months of prayer, he was so desperate he said, 'Please, Hannanim, give me a daughter, even if she is a fox!_'"

"He must have been desperate," Naruto said, frowning. "Dumbass."

"_Soon the man discovered that his wife was pregnant. When the time for birthing came, she disappeared for a while, but returned with a beautiful baby girl. The man was happy. But when the daughter was about six years old, strange things began to happen. Every night a cow would die, and in the morning they could never find a trace of what had killed it. So the man told his first son to keep watch one night._

Genko came over and sat next to Hinata. She stroked the girl's arm. "Not a lot of meat on her bones," she said. "But, she **_is_** very sweet." She winked to the other kitsune in exaggerated fashion.

"And she had exquisite taste," Kuko said, getting in on the game.

_"In the morning, the first son told a terrible story of what had happened. 'Father, I could not believe my own eyes," he said. "It is our little sister who is killing the cattle. She came out in the middle of the night and I followed her to the cattle shed. By the moonlight I could see her as she did a little dance. Then she oiled her hand and her arm with sesame oil. She shoved her whole arm into the cow's anus and pulled out its liver. She ate it raw while the cow died without a sound. That is all I saw, father, for it was too horrible to witness any longer.'_

"Damn," Naruto said, pushing Genko away. She had pretended to trip, and landed on top of him. "Keep your hands to yourself, oiled or otherwise."

"_The father was outraged. 'That is not possible,' he said. 'Tell me the truth.' The son swore that he had seen what he did. 'Then you must have had a nightmare. That means you have betrayed my trust by falling asleep when you were supposed to keep watch. Leave my sight at once! You are no longer my son!' He threw out his eldest son._

"Make sure you have daughters, little sister," Kiko said. "When he's ready."

"But, don't drain him dry," Koryu said. "Leave some daughters for us!"

Hinata blushed again, but nodded her head, feeling brave enough to tease Naruto some.

"She will," Kuko said. "That's her Ninja Way."

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. He was completely surrounded.

"That means we have to keep from…." Kiko said, a sparkle in her eye.

Tenko made it a point to shake her head and put a finger to her lips._  
_  
_"Now it was the second son's turn to keep watch. Everything was fine for a month, but then when the full moon came around the same thing happened, and in the morning he made his report to his father. 'That is not possible,' said the father. 'Tell me the truth.' That son gave his oath as well, but the father grew angry and sent him away.  
_  
_"So it was the youngest son's turn to keep watch over his sister, and once again, everything was fine for a month. When the full moon came around, the same thing happened, but having seen the fates of his older brothers, the youngest son lied. 'Father,' he said. "Little sister came out in the middle of the night and I followed her to the outhouse. She made water and came out again. As I passed by the cattle shed in the moonlight I saw that a cow had died. It must have been frightened by the full moon."_

"'Little sister?'" Shakko asked.

"Maybe that's a sign. She should become one of us." Nogitsune said, peering at Hinata. "That way we don't have to…."

"Shhhhh. Don't interrupt," Tenko said.

_"Then you have done your duty as a son should," said the father. "You shall inherit my lands when I have gone to join our ancestors." Meanwhile, the first two sons were no more than beggars wandering the countryside. Eventually they had both come to the top of a mountain where an old Buddhist master took them in and they studied diligently with him until their hearts grew sore to see their home again."_

"I've had enough to do with mountains and Buddhist masters," Naruto said, taking off his boots to rub his feet.

Hinata nodded.

"_After a year they decided to return to their village for a visit. The old master made the two brothers a gift of three magic bottles, one white, one blue, and one red. 'Use these as I have instructed,' he told them, 'and you shall be able to defeat any foe, even that sister of yours, who is surely a fox woman.'_

"_The brothers thanked the old monk and returned to their village to find it entirely deserted. When they reached their house they found the roof in terrible disrepair and the yard overgrown with weeds. Inside, the paper panels on the doors were all in tatters. They found their sister all alone. 'Where is everyone? Where is father? Where is our youngest brother? Where is mother?' they asked. _

_"'They're all dead,' said the sister. She didn't explain, but the brothers knew why. 'I'm all alone now,' she said. 'Brothers, won't you stay with me?'_

_"'No,' they said. 'We must be on our way. There is nothing for us here.' _

_"'Why, it's nearly dark,' said the sister. 'Won't you at least stay the night?'_

Shakko turned into her fox form, and crept slowly along the ground for a few yards, her eyes on Naruto._  
_  
_"They reluctantly agreed, and somehow the sister prepared them a fabulous meal with wine that night. They were suspicious, and they planned to take turns keeping watch that night, but they had been so starved during their year of poverty that they ate and drank their fill and soon they were fast asleep. In the middle of the night the older brother awoke suddenly with a full bladder. _

_He thought his younger brother was still eating…… it sounded like someone chewing…… so he turned over in annoyance to tell him to stop. _

"_In the moonlight he saw the table still in the room, their leftovers strewn about. But instead of white rice, what he saw were maggots. Instead of wine, there were cups of blood. Instead of turnip kimchi there were severed human fingers. He sat up in horror, realizing what he had eaten, and then he saw what was making the noise……it was his sister straddling his dead brother's body, chewing on his bloody liver."_

Genko also took fox shape, doing as Shakko had done.

Naruto looked over at them, feeling a bit edgy.

_"'Did you sleep well, dear oldest brother?' she said. The oldest brother leaped from his sleeping mat and ran out of the house. He was still groggy from the enchanted food, and he stumbled and staggered as he ran down the road in the moonlight. Soon his sister gave chase and she easily caught up to him._

"_Remembering the old Buddhist monk's instructions, the brother took the white bottle and threw it behind him. Suddenly, in a puff of smoke, a vast thicket of thorn bushes blocked the sister's way. She was trapped for a moment, but then she changed into her original form ……that of the fox……and easily escaped."_

Kiko and Koryu applauded, until they too changed form.

Hinata looked over at Tenko, wondering if the younger kitsune were setting up Naruto for some prank, or whether she should truly be worried. The Prime gave her a wink.

"_In a short time she had caught up to him again. This time the brother took the blue bottle and threw it behind him. There was a loud splash, and a vast lake appeared. Once again the sister was trapped. She struggled to swim, but then she changed into the fox again and easily paddled ashore. _

"Oooooooh, don't tell the next part," Kuko said. "It's **_so_** sad." She too went fox.

"_The oldest brother was exhausted and terrified. He could run no more. He took the red bottle and he flung it at the fox, saying, 'Ya! Take that!' There was a blinding flash of light, and the fox was engulfed in a ball of fire. She burned to death, screaming, and when there were only ashes left."_

Tenko stood. "We will make up for that!" She too transformed.

"I get the liver!" Kuko called.

The kitsune, all in their natural state, rushed towards Naruto. They all leaped upon him, growling, nipping at his skin. Then, when they wanted to see the look on his face, they all stepped back, smiling. It had been a good joke. The stories were about fox demons in a different land, not kitsune.

Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke. It had been a shadow clone.

Pungent liquid trickled down from the branches high above them, splattering against the ground at their feet in a strong continuous stream.

"Is it warm?" Naruto asked, pulling up his fly when he was done.

Hinata smiled. She didn't know whether to be proud of her fellow ninja, or offended. Regardless, it was a wonderful trick.

"I should have known!" Kuko said, smiling. "He's quite the trickster, this one."

"Yes, that's why he's _perfect_ for us." Nogitsune noted.

"Uh huh! That trick shows that we would be crazy to just forget about him." Shakko added.

Back in their womanly shapes, the kitsune all stared up at Naruto, perched high above on a branch.

"I wish I had a damn red bottle!" He sniped.

"You're lucky that you don't." Kuko said. "Otherwise my ghost would seek you out, every time you and little sister get busy!"

Hinata closed her eyes. She had actually grown fond of Kuko.

_But, she certainly wouldn't miss her when she was gone._


	14. fourteen

Sunlight was shining down through breaks in the clouds.

The smells of early morning Konoha were invigorating. The bakeries had their wares in baskets outside their doors, and the restaurants were beginning to build their soup stocks.

In contrast to the quiet background of the forest, the streets of the village began to show a growing level of noise. Shinobi and civilians were going about their business, and the various shops and services were setting up for the day.

Leaning against a tall post, Naruto closed his eyes and drank it all in. The warmth of the sun on his face felt wonderful . The tantalizing odors in the air had him salivating. The sounds of village life told him he was home.

It was great to be around people again. Human people. Not Kitsune… not Yaksha… not Nagas… not Pretas, Kumbhandas, Ogres, or Pisacas. Definitely not a giant blue-faced pop-eyed sword-wielding Deva King!

Yes it was definitely wonderful being home. Not only that, it was heavenly, not having a kitsune hanging all over him every moment of every day. As it was, he still felt a little edgy every time someone walked by him. He couldn't help but wonder if everyone was who they seemed to be.

He and Hinata had gotten back to the village late last evening. Tsunade had taken one look at their tired faces and sent them home to get some rest. It felt strange in a way, being away from Hinata. He never would have guessed that he would feel that way, seeing that he hadn't ever given her too much though before the two of them had left on their epic journey.

His traveling companion should be showing up soon. When she did, they would head over to the Hokage's office together, to give their reports. At the very least, he needed to pass along the Oracle's answer. But, being a nosy old woman, Tsunade would want all of the details. That had him feeling anxious as he began to remember everything that had happened.

"Hinata…" Naruto scratched behind one ear. "Hinata… Hinata… Hinata…" In the past, she had been a friend of sorts. He had admired the way she fought to improve herself, after seeing her stand up to Neji at the Chuunin exams. But, before the business with Kuko and the other fox women, if he dreamed about any of the kunoichi, it had always been Sakura. "Sakura who?" He smiled, shaking his head.

His dreams last night were certainly _not_ about Sakura. While Kuko and the kitsune had made guest appearances, the person who visited him in those fantasies had been a white-eyed Hyuuga girl. Naruto began coughing. He chased away those thoughts. There was no way he wanted to be thinking _that_ kind of stuff when Hinata showed up in person. As it was, he hoped that the stirring inside his pants settled down before she arrived.

"If life wasn't confusing enough without _this_ kind of thing..." Naruto sighed. But, he wasn't unhappy. 'Confused' my be a better choice of words. Maybe even 'intrigued.' If he were honest, he would add 'embarrassed,' only because it had required a legendary adventure to get him to realize how Hinata had felt about him over the years.

Now, he had a lot of things to sort through about his own feelings. Friendship. Lust. Love. What did any of that mean? What had he felt for Kuko? What had he felt for Hinata? Where did one draw the line between all of those feelings? He also found himself wondering which of his feelings and emotions might have been his own, and which might have been the result of the fountain water and the mystical gemstone. Did the magic simply highlight things he had been secretly feeling all along?

"Kuko…" Naruto tugged at one of his earlobes, making a face. In a way, it was a relief that she was gone from his life. While it had been exiting to have a sexy mature woman interested in him, the total impact of the situation had been overwhelming, and the continual stress had run him ragged. But, he found that he missed her too. They had certainly been through a lot together, not the least of which had been his first sexual experience.

Looking up at the clouds, some took on the form of a rather voluptuous body. The stirring inside his pants returned, making him feel self-conscious. Smiling, he congratulated himself for being a man now, not a boy. Thinking about the life ahead of him, he was very happy that he wasn't about to become a father any time soon.

"At least I hope not…" There was no guarantee that the kitsune wouldn't seek him out again. Would that have to be a bad thing? Maybe in a few more years, he might want to take advantage of the opportunities. That was just his glands talking. He knew that the fox women would not simply be looking for a good roll in the hay. They all wanted more children. None of them were looking for a long term companion or soul mate, which were precisely the things that he thought he wanted some day.

"Naruto-kun."

It was Hinata. She wore her chuunin vest, which was not anything out of the ordinary. The light reflected off of something she wore at here ears. She had put on the red jeweled earrings that she had won at the temple. Those were definitely out of place on a kunoichi in her 'work' clothes.

"Good morning, Hinata." Naruto smiled seeing her.

"Would you like one, Naruto-kun?" She offered a bag to Naruto. It was filled with steamed buns stuffed with jam paste. "I made them this morning. Do you think that the Hokage will like them?"

"Thank you," Naruto said, bowing with a grand flourish that had his fellow ninja giggling. Breaking open one of the pastries, he took a deep breath, and then smiled. Biting into the bun, he began talking before he had finished chewing. "I don't think so. I don't think that she will like these one bit." He tried to keep a smile off of his face. Crumbs fell down on his jumpsuit. "You probably worked very hard. I'd hate to see her refusal make you feel bad. So, don't even mention these to her." He licked his lips and started reaching for the bag.

"You can have more," Hinata said, a large smile coming to her face. Naruto liked what she had baked! "You shouldn't eat them all. It will make you sick." She felt a sudden urge to wipe the paste off of his chin, but didn't feel forward enough to do such a thing.

"Want to bet?" Naruto asked. "They're _really_ good." He plucked another bun out of the bag. "You're a great cook, Hinata-chan." He grinned, seeing her blush. "I hear that the Temple of Virudhaka is looking for a pastry chef…."

Hinata twitched, pulling apart her own bun further than she had intended. Bean paste dropped down onto her sandal. She turned an accusatory glance on Naruto.

"I just can't take you anywhere, _can_ I?" Naruto chuckled, watching Hinata bend over to wipe off her foot. Staring at her rear end longer than he usually might, he quickly looked away. That damn stirring had returned big time!

"My father and Neji were skeptical of my claims," Hinata said, wondering why Naruto was blushing. "But, Hanabi had me talking until I fell asleep." She looked up at Naruto, an odd look in her eyes. "It really _was _real, wasn't, Naruto-kun? It only seemed like a dream…"

"It was real alright," Naruto said. The two of them began walking towards the administrative building. "But, I guess I didn't find it as strange as you might have…" He pointed to his navel. "Not with _you-know-who _in here."

"I won't tell anyone your secret, Naruto-kun." Hinata promised. "And… ummm… I hope you won't tell anyone… ummm…"

"Huh?" For a moment, Naruto wondered what had Hinata turning so red in the face. Then the answer struck him. "Oh! Don't worry. Uzumaki Naruto is a gentleman." He paused, looking down at his feet. "The only person I will tell is Granny Tsunade. There's no way we can lie to _her."_

"Thank you," Hinata said, feeling a whole lot better.

"But…" Naruto pulled at his lower lip. "_Hmmm-mm-m_…" He shook his head sadly. "I probably won't be able to keep the story away from Ero-Sennin. He really likes that kind of stuff…."

Hinata didn't say anything. She was fairly certain that Naruto was joking.

"Kakashi would probably like to hear about it, too," Naruto added. "He's always reading one of those _Icha Icha_ books, so I know it will be right up his alley. He'd probably be discrete. I'd be surprised if he went and told Asuna or Gai about it." He looked over at Hinata, disappointed that she wasn't fluttering her hands or biting her lip.

Hinata just kept walking serenely. She was doing her best to ignore Naruto now.

"Shikamaru would think it was bothersome. Choji would be more interested in the bag you're carrying. Lee would get all excited and question my honor as a shinobi of the Leaf. Neji might decide to kick my ass." Naruto snapped his fingers. _"Kiba! _That's who'd really like to hear about it!" Rubbed his hands together, trying to sound excited.

Hinata stumbled but kept from falling. She was not going to let Naruto get to her.

"No," Naruto sad. "Kiba can't keep a secret to save his life." He stopped, trying to look very serious. "I _should _tell Kurenai, though. It's probably something your sensei should know."

"Ummm…" Hinata came very close to walking into a lamp post.

"I won't tell her if you give me some more of those buns," Naruto said. He looked at the bag hopefully.

Hinata handed him the rest of the pastries.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

There was a moment of silence.

Naruto had just knocked on the Hokage's door, after having been told by her aide that she was expecting them.

He looked over at Hinata. She looked nervous, too. This would be a difficult debriefing for both of them. The thought of the word 'debriefing' had him coughing. At that moment, he imagined it to mean the removal of one's briefs.

"Maybe we should knock again," Hinata said. Without stopping to think, she brushed the crumbs off of Naruto's outfit. The bag she had given him was now empty and crumpled up.

"We _could_ come back later…" Naruto said. He knew that a delay wouldn't accomplish anything. The past was the past. It might actually help to get things off of their chests, so to speak. Just as he raised one arm to bang on the door again, a voice called out.

"Come in." It was Tsunade's voice.

The two shinobi walked into the room, standing in front of the large cluttered desk. Behind it, the Hokage sat rubbing her temples.

"Take a seat," Tsunade said. She lifted a steaming cup of tea to her mouth and took a sip. A plate of cut fruit sat near her other hand.

Hinata sat first, choosing one of the middle chairs. Naruto pursed his lips a moment, looking at the remaining chairs. Two of them would put him next to Hinata, while one would not. He chose the other middle seat.

Tsunade raised one eyebrow, and then tapped her cheek with one finger. "I'm glad that you're both well." She smiled, looking very relieved. "You were gone longer than anyone expected. I imagine you must have some stories to tell, after visiting a _Shi Tenno _temple."

"No." Naruto shook his head. "Not a thing."He kicked Hinata's foot, wanting her to follow his lead. Tsunade would expect him to start off this way. He could get down to the truth of the matter soon enough.

"Yes," Hinata said, brushing a finger against one of her earrings.

"Now that you've gotten _that_out of you system…" The Hokage furrowed her brow, looking at Naruto. "…And seeing that you have already managed to stuff yourself…" She noticed the crumbs that Hinata had missed. "…I'll offer these to Hinata, while you give me your report as team leader." She passed the fruit to Hinata, before leaning back in her chair and making a steeple of her hands.

Hinata bit her lips, seeing a few more crumbs. She reached out to flick them away, blushing when she realized that she had done so in front of the Hokage.

"OK_… _Old Lady…" Naruto almost put his feet up on Tsunade's desk, but thought better of it. "It started when just about every girl I knew seemed to want to take her clothes off for me. It turns out they were really kitsune." Not having the contrariness out of his system yet, he restated the obvious.

Tsunade began tapping one nail against her tea cup. The best thing to do was simply to be patient.

"But you _knew_ that!" Naruto winked at Hinata, who just shook her head. "My first decision came when I chose my team. You already know what Kuko's requirements were. So, I decided to choose only one kunoichi. Hinata." He folded his arms over his chest. "It was the right choice."

Hinata looked over at Naruto shyly, happy to hear him say that. At the start of the trip, she had been so worried that she would be a burden. And, during the first part of the trek, she had been feeling rather critical of herself, wondering if one of the other girls might have been a better choice.

"Kuko called her _'Little Sister'," _Naruto added. "She teased Hinata a lot, even after we saved her life."

"Saved her life? At the temple?" Tsunade took another sip of tea, and then added a bit more lemon to it.

"No." Naruto shook his head. "Things happened before we even got there." He put his hands together, cracked his knuckles, then leaned back in his chair, feeling more relaxed. "When Kuko went hunting, she came back with more than dinner."

"The other female kitsune?" The Hokage asked, raising an eyebrow. She could imagine what kind of trouble something like that might have led to.

"Yeh." Naruto made a face. "They said they were there to protect us. It might even be true. But, you can guesswhat was on their mind." He sounded a bit smug. "I showed them who was boss!"

"_Really?" _Tsunade asked. "Did he?" She looked over at Hinata.

Hinata nodded her head. Naruto went on to tell how he had his clones dance with the fox women, and described the the trick he had pulled with Kuko's star ball.

"Was he a good dancer?" Tsunade asked Hinata.

"Ummm…… he was very_… _ummm… enthusiastic……" Hinata rubbed her fingers together.

"Two left feet," Tsunade said, nodding. "I understand." She tried to keep a grin off of her face, seeing the look Naruto gave Hinata.

Scowling, Naruto went on to tell about the rogue kitsune, mentioning the new deal that he had worked out with Kuko.

"That was a stroke of good fortune," the Hokage said. "I was wondering if you would end up in her clutches." The Hokage stared at Naruto for a few moments, seeing him squirm in his chair. She clutched the arms of her chair tightly, when he explained how Hinata could have been at risk of more than death from the mikkyo. She listened with professional interest when he went on to describe the battle with the male kitsune.

"Are you alright now? CompletelyShould I send you over to see Shizune?" The Hokage stared intently at Hinata, a concerned look on her face.

"I'm fine, Ma'am." Hinata said. "Kuko saved my life and took care of the initial healing. The shaman at the temple finished the process."

"That was quite a risk you took, Naruto." Tsunade folded her hands together again, and then rested her chin on them. "Were you certai_n_ that giving Kyuubi even a little bit of control wouldn't have given him an opening?"

"No," Naruto said, looking down at his lap. "But, I couldn't see how it could affect Yondaime's Seal." He put one hand behind his neck, and then grinned. "Sometimes I just take chances. You know that."

"Yes, I do." Tsunade looked at the necklace that Naruto had put back on, now that he was home. She sighed. "I hope your choices keep turning out well." Looking over at Hinata, her eyes suddenly went wide. "I take it Hinata knows about the Nine Tails."

"Yes, Ma'am," Hinata said. "Kuko was going to tell me. But, Naruto did it himself, so she couldn't blackmail him." She put a hand over her mouth. She had volunteered more information than she needed to at the moment.

"I see." Tsunade frowned, looking over at Naruto. "Didn't you make her promise not to tell? Was a kitsune actually going to go against her oath?" It was an important fact to know, if they ever dealt with fox women again.

"Well…" Naruto swallowed hard, looking over at Hinata. "You see…"He studied the designs on the carpet for a few moments. "I might have forgotten to make her promise that…" He stuck his chin out. "The Yaksha mentioned Kyuubi, any way."

"You will be discrete, I presume." Tsunade eyed Hinata. "There are still people who are unaware of that secret." She looked out of the nearest window. "I wonder if it's time for the elders and I to revisit that issue."

"I promise I won't tell anyone at all, Ma'am." Hinata replied.

After that, Naruto spoke about kami, described the Umbrella Pine, and gave a detailed report on their passage to the other realm.

"I miss having the ability to move from village to village," Tsunade said, sounding somewhat wistful. "It must have been nice, seeing so many new things."

"

You mean you miss the need to move from village to village_, don't_ you?" Naruto asked. "One step ahead of the bookies and moneymen."

"Listen, brat!" The Hokage raised one finger. Shaking her head, she sighed. Looking over at Hinata, she asked "Was he like this the entire trip?"

Hinata nodded.

"You have my sympathy," Tsunade said. "I'm amazed you got out of the temple alive. I can't wait to hear _that_part."

Prompted, Naruto began a cursory description of their sojourn at the temple. He purposefully danced carefully over certain facts and events. That fact did not escape the Hokage's notice.

"A little more detail, if you please."Tsunade said firmly. "You should notexpect to be going anywhere soon. I have cancelled all of my appointments for today, and will be doing my rounds at the Medical Center later this evening." She yawned for a moment, and then drank more tea. "Something you might not think is worth mentioning could very well be very significant. Let me be the judge of what is important or not."

"Granny Tsunade, I doubt that the Leaf has anything to fear from the Guardian or any of his underlings." Naruto shrugged. "They didn't seem too interested in our world at all, _right_ Hinata?"

"No," Hinata said. "And they seemed glad to see us leave."

"I can imagine," Tsunade said. "Things were peaceful in Konoha with a certain troublemaker gone." She motioned to Hinata. "Why don't you take up the tale, starting back where the three of you entered the temple. In addition to the things you saw and did, I'm interested in how you viewed Naruto's effectiveness as a team leader." She also knew that Hinata was honest to a fault, and wouldn't try to gloss anything over.

Hinata had a very good memory, and was terrific with minutia. Her honor wouldn't let her purposefully leave out even a single embarrassing detail, a characteristic that left her blushing on more than one occasion.

"You took a bath? Together? All three of you?" Tsunade's look was penetrating. "Naked, I presume?"

"Y-Y-Yes," Hinata said. "It was necessary. A shinobi must do his or her duty." After that, she described the room where they experienced their visions. She mentioned how her choice of the sapphire door had won her the earrings, and gained them all access to the temple proper. She talked about the sacrifices they had be obligated to make.

"That was a noble thought, Hinata." The Hokage said. "Save those earrings. They are part of a very memorable mission. I'm certain that your children will want to see them some day." She shifted her gaze to Naruto. _"_Coupons?Discount tickets? For Ramen?"

"They took them," Naruto answered, sounding defensive. "It was that, or navel lint." He folded his arms over his chest and stuck out his jaw.

"Why do I even bother?"Tsunade rubbed her forehead. "Did you all visit the healer together, Hinata?"

Hinata shook her head. She went on to describe her experiences, mentioning the riddles forced on her by the eldest Yaksha, and ending with her arrival outside of the fountain room.

"That was where Naruto and the kitsune were waiting?" The Hokage asked, seeing the look of discomfort in the girl's eyes. "Were they expecting you, when you showed up?"

Hinata shook her head, and then gave Naruto an apologetic look.

"It's your turn to take up the tale again, Naruto." Tsunade watched the boy's face like a hawk. She had a feeling that the story was going take a very personal path from that point onward.

Speaking with an uncharacteristically quiet voice, Naruto told the Hokage everything that had happened in the room, not leaving anything out in an attempt to protect himself or Hinata. Sitting there in that office, he found it hard to believe those events had actually taken place.

"It's a ninja's duty to give his all for the Leaf," Tsunade said after listening. She was not making any kind of joke. "That is true whether the shinobi is male or female." He looked over at Hinata.

Hinata blushed. But, instead of feeling embarrassed, she realized that she was proud of her actions. She might not have been able to do what she had done, for anyone else other than Naruto. But, it still hadn't been simple doing it for him.

"It…." Naruto didn't even know how to get his words out. "I guess it wasn't _all_ bad…" His memories of that time were a blur feelings and physical sensations. "But…" He was feeling somewhat proud himself, but for an entirely different reason. But, he also felt somewhat sheepish, and couldn't help but feel victimized.

"Yes," the Hokage said. "I understand." She nodded. "Good and bad. Yin and Yang. Excitement and regrets."

"Ma'am… my father… you won't…" Hinata couldn't help but stammer.

"No," Tsunade answered softly. "Don't worry. You were verybrave. In some ways, your choice was the most courageous of the entire mission. But, that is yourbusiness." She looked over at Naruto. "Yours and Naruto's."

"Thank you." Hinata looked relieved.

"I expect it to stay between the two of you." The look Tsunade gave Naruto promised instant pain and prolonged punishment should he prove to be the type of guy who kisses and tells. "You were lucky that things didn't go any further than they did." She shivered a moment, imagining Hyuuga Hiashi storming into her office, followed by half of the Hyuuga clan.

After promising to keep things secret, Naruto went on to talk about the mikkyo, the Naga, and the plan that nearly sent them to their doom.

Tsunade slapped the desk with both hands. "Naga. Yaksha. Ogres. Pretas. Kumbhandas. Temple Maidens. Rogue kitsune. I should be writing this all down." She grinned, massaging one arm. "No. That will be _your_ job. I will leave it up to the two of you." She took a sip of tea. "You can exclude the personal parts."

When Naruto got to the part where Virudhaka had made his appearance, Tsunade looked somewhat taken aback. But, her shock soon gave way to resignation when she heard how flippant Naruto had behaved.

"Hey! It's who I am,"Naruto said, somewhat annoyed. "I think he liked that. He was amused." He poked his thumb against his chest. "The Yaksha said we would all end up dead. Because of me, we didn't."

"It must have tough to be a spectator," the Hokage said to Hinata, a look of sympathy on her face. "I might need to give you some time off duty."

"Women," Naruto said, turning to look out the window. Then he mumbled something under his breath that he refused to repeat, even under threat of death.

"Naruto-kun!"Hinata shook her head. "Behave."

Hinata's choice of words earned her a salute from Tsunade. Seeing that, Naruto shook his fist at the Hokage. "Old Lady!" You already have Sakura acting a lot like you. Don't you start doing that to Hinata, too. I like her just the way she is." He grimaced, realizing how that sounded.

Hinata blushed, but kept her eyes on Naruto's face. The Hokage rubbed her hands together, a calculating look in her eyes. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, she asked Hinata to pick up where Naruto had left off.

"

Kuko showed her true nature in the Oracle chamber," Hinata said. "Even though she was no longer… ummm… fertile…she tried to make Naruto promise to… ummm… try again next time."

"Oh?" Tsunade's posture straightened some. _"How?"_

Hinata went on to describe the kitsune's trick. After that, Naruto described their meeting with the true Oracle.

"Only time will tell if we can use that clue to out advantage," Tsunade said.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The door to the room opened.

The Hokage's aide stuck his head into the room. "Pardon me, Ma'am, but we have a visitor asking to see you promptly. She claims to be an Ambassador."

"Ambassador?" Tsunade asked. "To what nation?" She suddenly grew very suspicious. Any representative from a recognized village or nation would make arrangements far in advance. An assassin wouldn't be foolish enough to believe that such a ruse might succeed.

"She would not say, Ma'am." The aide looked behind him. "I asked a number of times."

The Hokage signaled to Naruto and Hinata silently. They took up strategic placement near the door, in case this was some kind of underhanded plot.

"Pardon me," someone said in an imperious tone of voice. "But, I am not accustomed to be kept waiting." It was Tenko. "My apologies at arriving in such a hasty and brusque fashion," the silver-haired woman looked first at Naruto, and then at Hinata. "But, I had hoped to speak with you while those two fine shinobi were still here."

"**You!"** Naruto clenched his fists. He thought he was done with kitsune at least for a little while.

"Yes," Tenko said. "Me." She bowed to Hinata, a sparkle in her eye. "Kuko wanted me to send _her _as our representative; but, you know how things might have gone then." She laughed. "Right, little sister?"

"I take it that you are Tenko," Tsunade stated, standing. "For what do we owe this… honor…" Her voice had an arctic feel to it.

"I hope you are not still angry at me for using your form before." Tenko shrugged. "After all, the boy seemed _quite _smitten with it." She smiled at Naruto, who had suddenly gone pale. "I would have had my way with him, if little sisterhadn't helped the other women see through my trick."

"I… you… that…" Naruto cleared his throat, not able to look at either Tenko or Tsunade. "That's old news!" His face turned bright red.

"The girl ended up foiling a number of our attempts," Tenko smiled at Hinata. "We tried to recruit her, unsuccessfully. Our loss… your gain…." She worked at her hair for a moment. "Have you ever thought about having little sister move in with our young hero? She could keep a close eye on him that way." Her jest had both teenagers looking away from one another.

"I will take your suggestion into consideration." Tsunade's tone of voice clearly said that she would do anything _but_ that. "I take it there was something else that prompted this visit?"

"Indeed there was," Tenko replied. "I wish to discuss the idea of an alliance. It is the kind of thing that we kitsune have never entertained before." The Prime kitsune sat down in one of the chairs uninvited. "You have something that we want. We can offer skills and services that would prove invaluable." Here eyes glittered with mirth, seeing the look on Naruto's and Hinata's faces. "I things work out well with our family, one or two of the other families might want to get a piece of the action."

"P-P-Piece…" Hinata began coughing. She knew too well what piece the fox women were interested in.

"Action?" Naruto's eyes went wide. He did not even want to think about the havoc more than one kitsune family to bring to his life.

"An alliance…" Tsunade drummed her fingers on her desk top for a moment. "Why exactly should the Hidden Leaf village wish to have an alliance with a group of amoral yokai?"

"I think that we can both agree that the world is a dangerous place," Tenko said. "One that always seems to come up with new dangers on a regular basis." She met Tsunade's gaze as an equal, not a supplicant or beggar. "For us… our temple is encroached upon more and more… and the natural order of things seems less stable than it once was."

"And for _us?" _The Hokage took her measure of her visitor. There was an air about her that could not be faked or put on at a whim.

"Your village has many powerful enemies, not the least of which is the organization known as Akatsuki." Tenko looked over at Tsunade's teacup and raised one eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Naruto, ask my aide to bring our distinguished guest some tea." Tsunade pointed to the door.

"Should I ask him to bring a field mouse too, Ma'am?" Naruto didn't bother looking at Tenko. "Maybe a rat. The basement under the storage buildings have been overrun by them."

"**The tea!" **Tsunade looked over at Tenko and sighed. "He's a handful."

"I know," Tenko said. "But he has a world of potential." She smiled. Just the same, she would have to think of some way to reward the boy for his insolence.

"If I understand you correctly, you are offering to help us in our efforts against the Nine, if we in turn are willing to offer assistance against the threats that encroach upon your family or families?" Tsunade knew there was more.

"Yes," Tenko said. "The saying 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' is especially appropriate amongst the fur bearing races." She looked over at Naruto when he returned. "As you can guess, we are interested in more than mere scratching."

"I figured as much," Tsunade said. "That's where I run into issue with your offer." She narrowed her eyes. "I do not run a butcher shop. I do not intend to treat my shinobi like cuts of meat to be tossed to anyone with a large appetite."

"That's one of the things I find so amusing about humans," Tenko admitted. "You're willing to throw your men and women into battle, knowing that many of them will die to protect your village." She accepted her cup of tea when the aide walked in. "But, you take affront at being asked to ask a single young man to make an entirely different type of sacrifice." She sighed. "The approach one risks death to preserve life. The other merely brings new life into the world."

"We are what we are," the Hokage said. "If Naruto were to volunteer for such a role, I would have to give it more thought. Otherwise, we are merely bargaining over matters of mutual assistance. Even so, having kitsune around the village would present a different kind of risk, knowing your race's love of mischief and vengeance."

"We are what we are," Tenko said. "I should also add, that we may well get the one thing that we want without an alliance." She smiled, seeing the defiant look on Naruto's face. "Some of the girls are very persistent. Not only that, but they have taken a great liking to a certain young charmer."

"I should have asked the Oracle how to get rid of the kitsune!" Naruro scowled at the fox woman.

The door to the office swung open again. This time it wasn't the aide. Jiraya walked in unannounced and uninvited. "Tsunade! I heard that the boy is back. Did he learn anything that I should know before visiting my contacts again?"

"What makes you think you can just walk into my office whenever you please?" Tsunade clenched her fists. Under her breath she muttered "Aside from the fact that you do it all the time."

"The great need no excuses," Jiraiya said. "_There_ he is." He caught sight of Naruto. An instant later, someone else had him standing straighter. "Who is this fox?"

"Exactly," Naruto said. "Ero-sennin, this is Tenko. Tenko, this is Ero-sennin."

"**DON'T CALL ME THAT!"**

Jiraiya's shout had both women spilling their tea. They exchanged glances and sighed.

"He's the one who made me what I am today," Naruto said, not necessarily meaning that as complimentary. "You might say that I'm nothing but a smaller version of him." He missed the shocked look on Hinata's face. "So, maybe we can trade you the Frog hermit instead." He folded his arms across his chest and nodded his head, as if he was the one caught in the middle of diplomatic matters.

"Don't mind him," Jiraiya said, flashing a smile at Tenko. "He got hit one too many times on the head during practice." He continued to smile, but his eyes suddenly looked very serious. "I take it you are an emissary for the kitsune?"

"That I am, large and powerful one." Tenko fluttered her eyelashes, finding a way to tease Jiraiya and annoy the Hokage at the same time. "Naruto really is quite remarkable. You must be an exceptional teacher."

"Are we talking about the same boy?" The Frog hermit gave his pupil a sour glance. "Do you mean _that _Naruto? The one standing over there trying to look clever?" Suddenly, he thought of something and rubbed his hands together, a light coming to his eyes. "Did he do me proud? If you know what I mean…"

"I don't think we need to talk about _that_ now." Tsunade looked like she was getting rather steamed.

"I won't say a word," Tenko said. She winked at Jiraiya. "You might ask little sister instead. She watched."

Naruto's mouth fell open. Hinata froze, feeling like she might pass out. Jiraiya began chuckling.

"That's it!" The Hokage stood up, her eyes flashing. "This meeting is at an end."

"She sounds cranky," Tenko said to Jiraiya. "Perhaps she's tired and needs a good night's sleep." She stood and stretched, causing the Frog Hermit's eyes to bulge. "Or, maybe she's the possessive type…" She looked over at Naruto. "If you know what I mean…"

"You…" Tsunade's hands began to shake. She had to fight to keep her temper.

"Maybe you're not as smart as you think you are," Naruto said to Tenko. "That is not the way to get something out of the Old Lady."

"'Old Lady?'" Tenko grinned. "She'd be a youngster among us."

"Yeh," Naruto said. "But if she was a kitsune, she wouldn't need to use magic to look good." He knew he shouldn't have said that, the moment the words left his mouth. It didn't help matters that Jiraiya was giving him a 'V' sign. "I… that is…"

"It might make your life easier, If you let him come with us." Tenko laughed.

"Don't tempt me," the Hokage said.

"Let's go, boy." Jiraiya said to Naruto. "It sounds like you have a lot to fill me in on. Tonight, I treat you to Ramen. One bowl for every good story you tell me."

"Ero-sennin treating?" Naruto rubbed his eyes. When he looked, it really was the Frog Hermit standing there. "That's stranger than anything we saw." He looked over at Hinata. "Want to come too, Hinata?"

"Yes," Hinata said, smiling. Naruto had invited her! She had worried that things would have gone back to the way they were, before they headed out on their assignment.

"Tsunade… you work too hard… that's going to give you wrinkles…" Jiraiya smiled. "Feel like joining us?" The look he gave the Hokage was one part humor and three parts challenge. But, there was also a tiny spark of something else. None of that escaped Tenko's notice.

"You must be joking." Tsunade shook her head. "I've had enough aggravation for one day." She looked at the huge stacks of work covering her desk. She couldn't put it off any longer.

"Suit yourself." Jiraiya frowned. Then, a huge smile lit up his face. "Tenko?" He raised one eyebrow, seeing Naruto shaking his head and waving his arms.

"Don't mind if I do," Tenko said. She eyed Tsunade. "I can go as I am… or like this…" She took on the Hokage's form. "Clothing is optional…" She was totally nude for an instant. Jiraiya dropped his _Icha Icha _book, telescope, and scroll case.

"Out!" Tsunade was not amused.


	15. fifteen

A bowl of nuts slid across the polished maple counter.

Two more bowls followed. They spun as they traversed the slick wood.

Hinata reached out and stopped one, handing it to Naruto. Choji grabbed the other two, an eager look on his face. He offered one to Shikamaru, who shook his head.

"Oi! Barkeep!" Naruto slammed his Frog Purse down, causing it to make a jingling sound. "Sake. For everyone. On me." He smiled. Life was good.

There had still been no sign of the kitsune. While Tsunade had signed a treaty with the fox women, she currently kept Konoha a haven from yokai of any kind, and steadfastly refused to let Kuko and her family pester Naruto.

Now that the kitsune had made their presence known amongst humans, it seemed that someone reported sighting another kind of mythical creature every few months. Fortunately, few of the claims could be proven, and the number of intruding yokai were very small.

"Your best appetizers, too!" Naruto banged his glass against Choji's. "And dog biscuits, if you have them. If not, bones of any kind." Akamaru barked his thanks.

Kiba smiled, then downed his drink. "I thought this was supposed to be guy's night out," He looked over at Hinata. "I know that you two have become inseparable and all. _Geeeez_. Can't you give the guy a little more leash?"

"I asked Hinata to come," Naruto said. "Today's a special day, as far as we're concerned." He pointed over at an ornate calendar hanging at the back of the bar. "It's been a year since we got back from that mission. Things have gone very well since then."

"Yes," Hinata said, leaning against Naruto. That had Kiba rolling his eyes again. He had his share of girlfriends, but he was not about to let them hang all over him in front of his buddies. Naruto had a lot to learn.

"I think Naruto means more than his relationship with my cousin," Neji said. He flashed a rare smile, knowing how much Hinata had changed over that time. "While none of us know the details, the secrets you two brought back to the Leaf helped defeat Akatsuki."

"The kitsune played a big role in that defeat as well, _didn't_ they?" Shikamaru asked. "After your teams returned from rescuing the Kazekage, something happened. But, no one will say anything about it." He cocked his head, staring at Naruto. "My father was sitting in this very bar one night, when a drunken ninja claimed that he saw a fox turn into a woman, somewhere outside of Sunagakure."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto said, his eyes saying quite the opposite. "And neither does Hinata. No talk about foxes! She and I are celebrating a fox-free year." He smiled. Tsunade and Jiraiya had done research, and came up with a way to detect the kitsune when they took on the form of villagers. A separate ANBU squad had been formed, for the express purpose of keeping a watch out for the fox women.

"Well, if you won't talk about the… kitsune…" Kiba smiled, seeing Naruto clench his fists when he heard that last word. "…Maybe you'll tell us something about that mission." He looked at Hinata. "I remember Neji saying you told him a few stories before the Hokage put a lid on everything."

"Do you know what he's talking about, Neji?" Naruto rubbed his nose, hoping Neji would play along.

"I'm afraid not," Neji said. "If what I've heard is correct, it is elephants that are supposed to have good memories, not dogs." That had Naruto ordering a glass of the best stuff for his friend.

"Actually, when taken as a whole, the memory of a whole nest of chakra bugs is far superior to any single animal." Shino still had his deep cowl on, even though they were sitting in a dark and smoky corner of the establishment.

Everyone looked at each other, sighed, and shook their heads.

"**Ahhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h**… I have tried to get Neji to tell me the heroic parts of the story." Lee knocked over his bar stool, stranding up to strike a pose. "But, he is far too honorable to break his word to the Hokage."

"Hinata and I have spent a lot of time together, writing things down." Naruto said. "Some day, you might be available for the common shinobi to read." He smirked, seeing Kiba's face. "But, things were so amazing, few people will believe that it actually happened." He struck a pose that had Lee looking jealous.

"Sometimes I have trouble thinking it wasn't a dream." Hinata was looking at Naruto when she said that. She blushed. Just the same, her quiet confirmation seemed to have more effect than Naruto's boastful teasing. She put her hand up to her ear, running her finger over one of the earrings that she had brought home.

"Well… you won't tell us about the temple…" Kiba poured some sake in a bowl for Akamaru. The bowl was huge, seeing that the large dog could barely fit at the bar these days. "But, that doesn't mean you can't tell us about something even more important…" Naruto had let the word 'temple' slip one day; but, he remained closed-mouthed about the one subject that a majority of guys would find most intriguing.

"_Shhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h_…" Naruto stuck his chin out. He made a point of ostentatiously looking in Hinata's direction a number of times.

"No doubt you are referring to mating," Shino said. The light from a cluster of candles reflected off of his dark glasses. "It is not such a touchy subject amongst insects."

"Shit!" Kiba said. "Not mating. _Sex!" _Sometimes he really worried about his teammate.

"**Ohhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h**…" Lee shook his head. "Youth may be explosive, a burning fire that cannot be contained but never quenched..." His eyes looked even more intense than usual. "…But, one should respect women. Hinata probably does not wish to hear that kind of talk."

"Then she probably shouldn't have come here tonight," Choji said. He looked eager to hear anything that Naruto might care to mention. "Guys will be guys."

"I hope this doesn't become more bothersome than usual," Shikamaru said, downing his Sake in a single gulp. "If I wanted that, I could have stayed home and listened to my mother and father argue."

"Or you could let Temari's name slip in front of Ino again," Kiba said, smiling. "I heard about _that_ one…"

"If you feel uncomfortable, we could go somewhere else." Naruto tried to tell if Hinata was embarrassed or anxious.

"It's alright, Naruto-kun." Hinata squeezed his hand.

"See, Hinata thinks it's OK." Kiba downed another Sake. "So, tell us, did you give into that fox babe?" He was pushed aside when Akamaru stuck his massive head up on the bar. He wanted to hear the answer too.

"Don't be a jerk," Naruto said. "You know a gentleman doesn't talk about that kind of thing…" The way he said that carried with it the unspoken continuation 'in front of his girlfriend.'

"What does that have to do with _you?" _Choji asked. That had Kiba slapping him hard on the back.

"**Oooooo-oooo-ooo-oo-o**…" Lee looked a little tipsy after a few shots. "Naruto is upholding his honor. One should always be respectful to one's date."

"If he ever _has_ a date," Kiba said. That had Lee hanging his head and sighing.

"Choji is essentially correct," Shino said. "We are still talking about Naruto here."

"That's right!" Kiba's loud laugh had a number of patrons looking in his direction. "If he actually did anything, we would have heard about it dozens of times by now." He scratched Akamaru's head. "There's no way that Konoha's noisiest ninja can keep anything a secret."

"Especially something like that." Choji added.

Neji looked over at Hinata. She hadn't mentioned anything on that touchy subject. But, he knew his cousin well enough to tell that something had happened. He wasn't about to mention that, however.

"Naruto could never score with a hot chick like that!" Kiba laughed again. "Human or otherwise. No matter what kind of strange attraction she had for him."

"No doubt he would screw things up somehow," Shino said.

"That's a _very_ good choice of words." It was a woman's voice. A familiar woman's voice. There was no way that Naruto or Hinata would forget _that_ voice after a year. They would never forget it!

An open menu fell from Hinata's hand. Naruto spilled his drink in his lap. Lee froze like a statue.

"_**AROOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-O"**_

That was Akamaru. It could just as readily have been Kiba.

Everyone in the bar stared at the beautiful woman who walked in, her long lustrous indigo-colored hair hanging well past her hips. The men all wanted to be with her. The women all wanted to be her.

"I just forgot my name," Kiba said.

Naruto stood up abruptly. He turned to face the new arrival, his brows furrowed and his fists tight. "What are _you_ doing here?" He scowled. "Old Lady Tsunade said the village was off limits!"

"And… well… she…" Hinata squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes. "The Hokage arranged for ways to detect kitsune."

"That she did," Kuko said, jumping into Naruto's arms. She wrapped her legs and arms around him, and gave him a long deep kiss. "How's it hanging, stud?" She reached down and grabbed him some place she had no business grabbing.

"**Kuko!" **Hinata instinctively took up the stance for the Gentle Fist.

"Little sister…" Kuko jumped down, turned, and gave Hinata a long hug. "You follow my lead yet?" She tossed her hair. "Keeping him warmed up for the rest of us?"

"No… f-cking… way…" Kiba sat down hard, missing his stool.

"What _he_ said," Choji gasped. The food in his hand actually missed his mouth.

"'Troublesome' doesn't do this justice," Shikamaru said, making a wry face.

"How?" Naruto asked.

"There's always a trick that will beat another trick," Kuko said, leaning back against Naruto. Without warning, she went completely naked, wrapped only with her beautiful tails. She passed a stack of napkins to Lee, Kiba, and Choji. They used them to help stop their nosebleeds.

"What trick?" Hinata took hold of Naruto's arm.

"Well, we couldn't defeat the detection jutsu in our human form, or the shape of another woman." Kuko admitted. Feeling especially mischievous, she waved her hand, setting Hinata's shoelaces on fire. "No doubt the sentries were probably told to keep a look out for beautiful women who were strangers to the village."

Hinata and Naruto both nodded their heads.

"They probably don't look for foxes curled up under a blanket in the back of a produce wagon." Kuko took fox form for a moment, causing Akamaru's eyes to go wider than Kiba ever thought possible.

"Or in a basket on the laundry wagon," Shakko said, stepping into view.

"Not to mention large mail pouches," Nogitsune said, as she slid in next to Kuko.

"Pickle barrels," Genko added, taking the form of a dripping wet fox before resuming her human form.

"Bread box on a baker's cart," Kiko said.

"Fertilizer bag," Koryu frowned when everyone backed away from her. She had already cleansed herself a number of times.

"And no one bothered to check to see if the traveling tinker's dog was indeed a dog." That was Tenko.

"What are you all doing here?" Naruto asked, feeling his heart rate increase. His fight or flight reaction was charging up. "Does this mean…."

"That's right," Kuko said, licking her lips. "Just like old times."

"**Shit!**" Naruto smacked his hand hard against his forehead protector.

"Yes," Hinata nodded.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

THE END


	16. epilogue

The odors coming from the kitchen area were savory and wholesome.

Hinata insisted on doing the cooking herself, even though her father would gladly lend her bakers and chefs from his cooking staff.

While it had taken Hyuuga Hiashi a while to get over his objection to his daughter's marriage, he had been won over the moment he held his first grandchildren.

"I don't think he'll ever quite accept the arrangement," she said to herself. "Sometimes I have trouble with it too." She smiled, thinking about the situation they all found themselves in. Adding a few more ingredients to a stew she was making, she listened intently for any sound of a squabble.

The children were behaving well that afternoon. No doubt her daughter was keeping her brother and half-brothers in line. The smallest of the bunch, she turned out to be the bossiest, even though she was the spiting image of her mother.

"Something smells great!" Naruto walked into the kitchen, back from his morning session with the city council. He was spending more and more time with administrators and village officials, in preparation for the day that Tsunade finally stepped down. "The food smells great, too." He nuzzled her neck, causing her to shiver all over.

Hinata put her spoon down and wrapped her arms around her husband. There were times when she missed going on missions with him; but, she had found a much more rewarding place at home raising the children. That didn't mean that she had let her skills fade, however. Any enemy foolish enough to attack their home would get a rather rude awakening.

They had a few minutes to talk quietly, before the first small head peeked around the kitchen door. After that, things took their usual course.

"**DADDY'S HOME!"**

Soon, the sound of a small stampede could be heard. Two sets of twins fought for position, each child trying to be the first to reach their father. Naruto created four clones. While he hugged Hinata, the copies of him reached out and took the squirming children in their arms.

"We want the _real_ Daddy," the girl cried.

"That's right!" All three boys shouted at the same time.

"So, you sure you want more?" Naruto reached out and touched Hinata's belly tenderly. She hadn't started to show yet. His bet was on twins again.

"Yes." Hinata smiled happily. Before she had gone to that temple with Naruto and Kuko, she had been barren, but never knew it. Having been gifted with fertility, she felt a need to have a large family. It would be a way to say thanks to Shakti, even though that goddess didn't have a presence in this realm. But, it also meant that Naruto wouldn't be hers and hers alone.

"Good." Naruto kissed her, causing the kids to fuss and try to break free. "Me too." He never knew just how much it would mean to him, being a father. Not having known his father or mother, and forced to grow up without siblings and cousins, he felt blessed to have a family of his own.

"Mother Hinata, is my _other_ mother coming today?" One of the boys scratched his head. He was a spitting image of his father, down the piercing blue eyes and the unruly blonde hair. His brother looked on intently, his feelings mixed. Uzumaki Hinata was his mother in most ways. But, Kuko was his mother by birth. Being human, he and his sib stayed with their father, while their two kitsune sisters lived with their true mother.

"Yes she is, Shinrin." Hinata wriggled free of Naruto's embrace, needing to take something out of the oven. "Your sisters will be coming to see you and their father, too."

"I hope that's all she wants to see," Naruto said. If Kuko was in heat again, he was obliged to see to her needs. That was not a deal that the Hokage had made with the kitsune. It was part of something that had started during their visit to the other Realm.

"Hush," Hinata said, making a face. That was not the kind of thing that he needed to talk about around the children.

"I _knew_ she was coming," Hinata's son Toukon said, winking at his sister Takara. "Mom never buys squirrel unless the foxes come to visit." That was one of his little jokes. His mother would never cook squirrel.

"**Hey!" **Shinrin and his brother Yama spoke up at the same time.

"Toukon." Naruto made a stern face, much like the one Jiraiya had used on him during training. "What did I tell you about that?"

"I was only joking, Father." Toukon stood with his hands on his hips. His blue eyes flashed, before he began shuffling his feet. "I love them too."

"We're family," the four children said at once, as if their father was missing in mental faculties.

"Yes we are." Naruto struck a Gai-like pose. Light shone off of his teeth.

The kids all slapped their heads, put their heads together, and began giggling. "You looked just like 'Uncle' Lee." Yama said.

"And 'Uncle' Gai," Shinrin added.

"Two's enough," Toukon said, sticking out his lower lip. "No matter what Meiyo and Eikou say." Those were Lee's boy and girl.

"Uncle Neji and Aunt Ten Ten will agree with you there," Hinata said. "But, if any of you repeat that…"

"We'll be in more trouble than Daddy was…" Shinrin said. "…When he brought back noodles instead of meat last week.

"Not _that_ much trouble," Naruto said, winking. "This is not nearly so bothersome."

"'Uncle' Shika!" The kids all smiled. They had a lot of 'Aunts' and 'Uncles.' That also meant that they had a large number of ready playmates close to them in age.

"I hope you made a lot of food for dinner tonight." Takara tried to speak in a deep voice.

"'Uncle Choji!" The other three children held their stomachs and looked over at the fresh bread that Hinata had placed on the counter to cool.

"Alright, you monkeys, who am I doing now?" Naruto ran a hand through his hair. He frowned and stayed that way.

"'Uncle' Sasuke!" The kids all struck similar poses.

"Pervert!" Toukon said, doing his imitation. That earned him a shake of the finger from his mother.

"'Aunt Sakura!" Takara said. "Daddy… what's a pervert?"

"'Great Uncle' Jiraiya," Naruto answered quickly.

"_Ohhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h_…" The kids eyes went very wide. They truly loved seeing the Frog Hermit. He told great stories about their father, and always brought interesting gifts. But, half of the presents were always confiscated by their father.

"So… does that mean that you will end up like him?" Yama scratched the back of his neck. Sakura always called Naruto 'Pervert,' because he kept threatening to show her a new perverted jutsu, even though he hadn't made use of one in years.

"**No!" **Hinata said quickly.

"You kids keep from talking about perverts," Naruto said sternly, clear evidence that he wasn't joking. "And, don't mention our joke about pink-haired Uchiha boys, either." He couldn't help but smirk. Uchiha Saisei might well end up to be an even stronger shinobi than his father. But, he had his mother's hair. Sasuke had been in a funk for more than a week after his firstborn child's delivery. "You guys are going over there to play today, so that Mommy and Daddy can have some quiet time with Kuko."

"Man!" Shinrin stamped his foot. His tone of voice owed a lot to his mother. "Couldn't we go over to 'Uncle' Kiba's instead, and play with the puppies.

"_Well-l-l-l-l_… he's off on a mission," Naruto said, pulling Hinata close for a hug again. "But, 'Uncle' Shino's probably back now. You could play with bugs instead."

"Blech!" "No way!" "Gag!" "I'd rather play with myself!"

"**Toukon!" **Hinata shook a spoon at her son.

"He didn't mean _that," _Naruto whispered. But, he forgot that his children by Kuko had supernaturally good hearing.

"What kind of 'that,' Father." Yama raised an eyebrow, much the way his father and mother both had a habit of doing.

The bell at the front door rang. That saved Naruto from answering. Hinata told Naruto that all of the children were so much like him, and that she couldn't be more thrilled.

"That's right. No shy dark weirdoes amongst my kids." Naruto kissed Hinata on the forehead. "I've got the only one of those. Except you're not shy, dark, or weird anymore."

"Except when we play," Hinata said, bumping her hip against his.

"Yes… well… that's right…" Naruto actually blushed. _"Ahem. _No more of that talk. That will be Kuko and the girls." he sighed. It was going to be very hard being the father of kitsune girls, if he was still alive when they reached sexual maturity.

"You two weren't thinking about doing it on the kitchen floor, _were_ you?" Kuko walked in, looking as lovely as usual. Her hearing was still phenomenal. "Again?" She rushed to embrace Hinata. "Sister." That was a term of endearment now. She never used her mocking 'Little Sister' any more, unless they were reminiscing about their momentous journey.

"Where are the girls?" Naruto looked down at the floor, expecting to see a pair of foxes running about.

"I'm certain they'll be in soon." Kuko walked over, winked at Hinata, and the gave Naruto a long and deep kiss that left him breathless. After that, she goosed him pretty hard. "They're showing off for the others. I won't ruin the surprise for you."

Sure enough, two beautiful looking young foxes came padding into the room. When they sat down on the floor in front of their father to have their ears scratched, they caught him by surprise. Each took the form of a girl of appropriate age. That was new.

"Look father!" Tani said, pirouetting.

"We're perfect in every way!" Sora claimed.

"Except for the clothes." Naruto shook his head. Both of his kitsune daughters were naked. "You _did _teach them about clothing, didn't you Kuko?" It seemed that young girls in kitsune form looked a good bit more developed than heir human counterparts.

"Clothing?" Tani winked at her mother.

"What's that?" Sora tried to look serious.

"Must have slipped my mind." Kuko grinned. Her daughters were soon clothed. "You two didn't play that trick when you met your brothers, _did_ you?" She tapped one finger against her cheek, watching Hinata's expression. She was very much the prude where it came to her offspring. Humans were silly that way.

Tani and Sora looked at one another and shrugged. Then, Sora asked "Mother, what are hooters?" Tani guessed 'owls.'

"Breasts, dear." Kuko looked over at Naruto. "Let me guess who taught the boys _that_ one." She licked her lips. "Good for you!" She smiled. "Sorry, sister."

"We arranged for the children to play over at the Uchiha estate today," Hinata said, only in part to change the subject. "Sakura had the day off from the medical center."

"_Mmmm-mmm-mm-m_… I should stop by and say 'Hello'." Kuko chuckled. "It was her mistake that got everything started back then, wasn't it?" She reached up and put her arms around Naruto's neck. She whispered "Don't worry, I'm not in heat this trip. If I was, I would have left the girls with Shakko and Nogitsune."

"**Great!" **Naruto said, quickly taking a step back when he saw the look in Kuko's eyes. "I mean, too bad." He swallowed hard, seeing the look on Hinata's face. He decided to walk over and speak with his kitsune children for a few minutes, congratulating them on their new abilities. After that, he would take them over to the Uchiha estate.

"I'd like to spend some time with the boys," Kuko said to Hinata. "I know they probably wonder why I spend so much time amongst the kitsune, and so little time with them." She paused. "That might change soon."

"Oh?" Hinata too a few minutes to stir her stew again. It was one of Kuko's favorite dishes.

"Sora and Tani want to spend time around their father." She spoke more quietly, after Naruto left the room with the other two. "It might be that they're drawn to the presence of Kyuubi. Or, it might simply be the fact that they are kitsune with human genes. No one knows for sure. It's quite unprecedented."

"I see…" Hinata tried to keep her feelings off of her face. It was an ungracious way to think.

"I'm sorry this bothers you," Kuko said, reaching out and grabbing Hinata's hand. "I know how much Naruto means to you. I know how heavily the geas must be."

"It's alright," Hinata said. "If I never went on that adventure with you, I probably never would have won his heart." She smiled a moment, thinking about how her life had changed when they got back. Then, she looked down at her feet for a moment, remembering walking into a room at the temple, finding Kuko in the process of having an intimate encounter with Naruto. "If the shaman hadn't healed me, I wouldn't have found that I was infertile. If I didn't answer the Yaksha's riddles correctly, I wouldn't be able to have children at all."

"That's true," Kuko said. "Can I help you cook anything?" That was one of their jokes. Hinata was the ultimate domestic woman. Kuko was the furthest thing from that. Her face changed. "You would have been dead if you answer the riddles incorrectly."

The two women were silent for a few moments, each thinking back to their dealings with Yakshas. The strange creatures had blanked part of Hinata's memory, in such a manner that her memories didn't return until she was thinking about having children. That time, shortly after she married Naruto, brought with it an unexpected and unwanted burden.

"Yes," Hinata said. "But, I couldn't die then. There was no way I could leave Naruto to you." She reached out and squeezed Kuko's hand.

"Do you want to have more children?" Kuko accepted Hinata's offer to sit and have some tea. Naruto would probably stay and talk with Sakura for a while.

"I do," Hinata said. She swallowed hard. "And you?"

Kuko nodded her head. Her eyes looked troubled. There was something that Hinata would not want to hear. "I love my daughters dearly," she said. "And…" Usually she could just come out and say things, especially to humans. But, Hinata was different. She truly thought of her as if she were a member of the Family.

"The others want children." Hinata sighed. She was certain that had to be the answer. "You've offered to let some of them take your time?"

"I couldn't turn them down any more," Kuko said. "But, it won't be the same." She lowered her eyes. "I don't come by every time I'm in heat." It was difficult, but she fought the urges out of deference to Hinata and Naruto. "You will need to share Naruto more than ever before."

"I knew that day would come sooner or later," Hinata said. "But, I can't be selfish. I have had the blessings of the geas. There's a price to pay, too. I knew that when I promised to pay the cost." She managed a smile. "It will make Tenko and the others happy, too. I wish they stopped by more often. I mean…"

"I know what you mean," Kuko said. "You'll be seeing them more, but not for social visits. Because they don't know how long you may want to have children, Naruto may be pretty busy over the next couple of years."

"That's what Shakti said," Hinata replied. "I think she must have a soft spot for kitsune."

Shakti was the Divine Mother in that other Realm, the goddess who represented the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. Before being brought to where Kuko had been trying to conceive with Naruto, Hinata had been brought to a room much like the set aside for Virudhaka. When Shakti manifested in Hinata's mind, she offered the young woman a choice. As longs as she allowed the kitsune women to have access to Naruto, she herself would be able to have children, if the boy with Kyuubi some day took her as his bride.

"Maybe," Kuko said. "She and Inari don't always get along, when Inari is in her female form." She shrugged. Even as a myobu, she didn't understand the relationships of the various beings spread throughout the Planes. "Did she tell you why you were infertile?"

"Yes," Hinata said. "It had nothing to do with me, personally. That makes it hard to take, sometimes." She sighed. "She said that goddesses play many roles. They are mothers, protectors, and mediators… but, they are also inducers of chaos. She also mentioned karma. She said I was obliged to suffer the repercussions of my actions in past lives."

"But…" Kuko made a face. Once again, she didn't want to try and figure things out. "Sorry. Go on."

"Shakti told me a folk story from the Mahabharata to illustrate the point." Hinata got up and put a covered dish into the oven. "She said that at the end of a great war, queen Gandhari was informed that all of her one hundred children were dead. She wept and sought a reason for that unfair situation. She found the answer with a sage, who told her 'In your last life, you sat on a stone under which there were a hundred turtle eggs. The eggs were crushed. So the mother-turtle cursed you that you too would experience the loss of hundred children'."

"I'm surprise Naruto hasn't turned into a turnip or something," Kuko said. "With the way he acts, he must have enough bad karma for the entire human species."

"Sometimes he acts about as bright as a turnip," Hinata said, grinning. She brought Kuko a plate of pastries she had made the night before. "Maybe having Kyuubi inside of him gave him a free pass or something."

"Or maybe, having to put up with so many females is the price that he has to pay." Kuko smiled and checked her nails. "A lot of men would consider that a dream come true. But not him." She smiled at Hinata. "That's what makes him special, _right?"_

"Right." Hinata nodded.

"Are you two talking about me again?" Naruto had come right back after dropping off the children. "That kind of thing had better stop when I'm Hokage." He sat down and hooked one foot over the back of a chair until he saw Hinata purse her lips.

"I'm afraid that things will only get worse." Kuko smiled. "Do you want to tell him sister, or should I?"

"Be my guest," Hinata said, watching her husband's face closely.

Naruto didn't take things as well as Hinata had. He truly had strong feelings for Kuko and the others, but had a natural desire to be true to Hinata. Still, as long as Hinata knew that, he would do whatever was necessary to make sure that she could have the children that she wanted. He would do anything to make her happy, even if it meant doing some things that left her less than pleased.

"Just another thing to blame on the damn fox." Naruto made a face. "Uhhh. I mean Kyuubi…" He swallowed hard, not wanting to get Kuko pissed at him. "So… is there another reason you chose now to visit…not that I'm unhappy top see you and the girls."

"Yes," Kuko said. "I didn't just stop by to tell you to get your strength up." She fluffed her hair. "Tenko sent me with a message for the Hokage. She is calling on the treaty again."

"_What?" _Naruto stood up. "After all the trouble we had last time!" He clenched his fists. He had been sent out on that mission. The kitsune women had been there as well, and as fate had it, they were in estrous. He hadn't given in to anyone but Kuko; but, it had been a major pain in the rear end fighting off the advances of the other myobu.

"What goes around comes around," Kuko said, feeling no need to apologize. "We helped you bring that Uchiha boy back. We brought other families to your aid, when we assisted in the destruction of Akatsuki. We were instrumental in the downfall of that disgusting man." By that she meant Orochimaru.

"I know… but…" Naruto smacked a hand hard against the table. The tea cups jumped, but remained upright.

"It was just Kappa," Kuko said, winking at Hinata. The whole Kappa business had been rather messy.

"Just Kappa?" Naruto frowned. "_Just_ Kappa?" He shook his head, thinking back to that mission. He had been in command. "If it had been 'just' anything, you wouldn't have come begging for help." He pointed his finger at her, jumping when she bent over and bit it. "They never would have come back to our world if it wasn't for something the kitsune did!" Merely a legend at one point, there had been few Kappa left anywhere near the Fire Country for centuries. When they started popping up everywhere, the shinobi of a number of nations had needed to act togrther.

"It didn't help that the Sound tried to ally themselves with the Kappa, much the way the Leaf has a deal with you and the families." Hinata walked over and kissed Naruto's bitten finger.

"That was quite amusing, actually." Kuko laughed. "Seeing that Kappa cannot stand loud noises." She looked over at Naruto. "No doubt that was why your Hokage chose _him_ to lead the mission."

Hinata began giggling. That stopped when Naruto looked hurt. She smiled, knowing he was putting on a big act. He leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head, knowing that she knew. "If all it took was noise to drive those bastards away, a bunch of kitsune female would have been more than enough."

Kuko kicked Naruto's chair backwards. He flailed his arms, but couldn't maintain balance. Both the chair and the ninja in it came crashing to the kitchen floor. "We had matters in hand," she said. "Until we were bothered by the damned mikkyo. There were even more this time."

"I don't know why you didn't ask Granny Tsunade to simply send us out to cut the balls off of the mikkyo." Naruto picked himself up. "That would have ended that problem once and for all. "What?" He saw the look his wife gave him.

"We _did," _Kuko said. It didn't sound like she was joking. But with her, it was hard to tell sometimes. "Your leader didn't see that as an honorable request. I bet she would have changed her mind if she had a bunch of sex-crazed kitsune males chasing after her!"

"I'm just glad that Hinata was pregnant at the time. I didn't want her fighting those disgusting things." Naruto wrinkled up his nose. The Kappa had a very strong fish smell. They weren't particularly pleasant to look at either, having the body of a tortoise, an ape-like head, scaly limbs, long hair circling the skull, webbed feet and hands, and yellow-green skin. "But, they do make nice tables."

"**Naruto!" **Hinata shook her head. Naruto wasn't talking about the Kappa's being skilled craftsmen. They _weren't. _he meant that the large tortoise shells attached to their backs could be used for all manner of arts and crafts.

"Hey, it's true! I don't know why you made me throw mine out. I earned it!" Naruto looked over at the kitsune. "Kuko would have let me keep it."

"_Mmmm hmmm_," Kuko said. "I also would have asked you to make me a big bed and headboard too." She licked her lips.

"Would have made a nice cradle for the babies, too." Naruto stuck out his lower lip, sounding miffed. "Though, it would have been better if the stuff could still change color after they die. That would be every woman's dream. Shoes that could be any color they like." Kappas can change color just like chameleons.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Hinata looked cross. "Those are living creatures you are talking about."

"Not any more," Kuko said.

"And _you_… I would be very grateful if you didn't encourage him…" Hinata gave the kitsune woman a pointed look.

"I know how you feel, love." Naruto looked apologetic. "But, you didn't see what I saw." About the size of a child aged six to ten years old, the Kappa had been incredibly strong. They had attacked horses, cattle, and humans, usually dragging their prey into the water. "They were feeding on the blood of farmers and their children. Those poor souls were fighting to hold onto their homes and villages. None of them could just pick up and leave like the kitsune did."

Hinata's hands twitched. She imagined one of the hideous creatures bursting into her house, or grabbing one of her children when they wandered to close to a stream or well.

"They drained away the life force or some people; pulled out their livers through their anuses; and sucked out their entrails, leaving nothing behind except a body like a hollow gourd ." Naruto looked over at the stove. It was not the most appetizing subject of conversation. "There was also tales of them raping women and children."

Hinata swallowed hard. This brought back bad memories. She had heard the terrible tales, when her husband had gone off to fight the scaly plague. Left at home pregnant with twins, she was afraid every time the telephone rang, or a messenger from the Hokage checked up on her.

"The courtesy card didn't play too well," Kuko said, remembering fighting by Naruto's side. She hadn't known that she was pregnant with his children at the time, too. "Well, not in the usual way…" She smiled, looking at Naruto as she continued talking to Hinata. "You know the Kappa have that hollow cavity atop their heads. It holds a strength-giving fluid. If one can play on the instinctive courtesy of the Kappa by bowing and getting them to bow in return, the fluid spills out, making it feeble."

"Did you try being courteous?" Hinata looked at Naruto, a knowing look on her face.

"He did," Kuko said, smiling. "That's how we won our largest confrontation. He created a large number of clones… they bowed… when the Kappa bowed in return, the clones kicked them hard in their heads." She blew Naruto a kiss. It hadn't been honorable, but she didn't view Kappa as being worthy of such things.

"It worked!" Naruto held up his hands. He knew how picky Hinata could be about honor sometimes.

"It's who you are, dear." Hinata surprised them both by smiling. That sounded so much like something Naruto would do. How could she be angry at him, recalling how he used to behave when she secretly watched him?

"It didn't sit too well with the Kappa," Kuko said. "They may be evil, but they are always honest."

"True," Naruto said. "When captured and forced to promise never again to harm anyone, the Kappa always keeps its promise." He tugged at one ear. "They also help or mentor those who outwit them or capture them. That played a big role in our eventual victory."

"So the official story goes." Kuko smiled when Naruto shook his head and began pleading with his yes. "They also like to challenge humans to single combat. Lover boy took down a large number that way, too." She looked over at Hinata. "Did he ever tell you how he finally got the best of them?"

"I guess not…" Hinata narrowed her eyes. Naruto knew better than to keep secrets from her.

"It was for the honor of the Leaf," Naruto claimed quickly. "The other nations played a part in the battle, but we were able to claim victory. The final battle took place between my forces and those of the Kappa." He coughed. "I asked all of the shinobi to keep silent on their word of honor, so that the outside world would look at Konoha as the best place to hire ninjas. I couldn't tell you anything, after asking that of them."

"I see," Hinata said, nodding her head. "Will you tell me now, if I promise never to tell anyone else?"

"Alright," Naruto said. He walked over and whispered in his wife's ear. "If you promise to take a nice long bath with me after the children go to sleep."

"Is there room for three?" Kuko asked.

"Kappa folk have a liking for cucumbers. It's a weakness that can be used to one's advantage, according to one tale that Kuko had heard." He saluted the kitsune, who then made it a point to start preening. "An offering of cucumbers etched with certain words can make a Kappa promise just about anything. We both thought it had to be a myth…" He shrugged. "…But, before the fox women appeared, I used to think _they_ were myths too."

"So… you bought victory with cucumbers…" Hinata's eyes went very wide. Then, she covered her mouth with her hand. She couldn't keep from giggling again.

"We also fought very bravely," Naruto asserted. "It was not all fun and games."

"I'm sure," Hinata said, tears of mirth coming to her eyes. "Maybe they should carve a large cucumber next to your face, when you're named Hokage." That had Kuko laughing along with her.

"We were in quite a pickle…" Kuko spoke in a deep voice, as if recounting a past battle. "…But we got out of it with cucumbers!" That set the two women off again.

Annoyed at the teasing he was getting, Naruto decide to go over and taste the stew. He yelped when Hinata smacked his hand.

"So… Naruto… do you like getting smacked around?" Kuko yawned and stretched. "If you do, I'll tell that to the other girls. Especially Genko. I bet she would go for that kind of kinky stuff." After that, Naruto was able to sneak a taste without being chastised.

"You said that Tenko sent you with a message?" Hinata was still blushing. She and Naruto had a very healthy sex life, but neither of them were into whips and leather. Rumor had it that was Ino's thing.

"Yes," Kuko said. "This time it's Tengu."

"**Shit!" **Naruto smacked himself in the forehead. "More legendary creatures. First Kyuubi. Then kitsune. Kappas. And now Tengu." He rubbed the side of his nose. "This isn't a joke, _is_ it?" He gave Kuko a baleful glance.

"I'm quite serious," Kuko said. "A debt's a debt. We need help from your Hokage again." She ran a hand through her hair. "Like the kitsune and Tanuki, the Tengu can change shape. Also like us, and like those walking scrotums, the bird people have a great liking for mischief and practical jokes."

"What happened?" Hinata asked. "Did a joke go wrong?"

"Horribly," Kuko admitted. "I don't care to go into the details. Suffice it to say that there is now a war between the kitsune and the Karasu Tengu. Fortunately, the Kotengu, Yamabushi, and Konsha Tengu want nothing to do with the squabble. The fighting is not going well for the families. The damned birds can teleport, and it can be hard to pin them down."

"I remember reading that the Tengu are proud, vengeful, and easily insulted." Naruto had read up on yokai after getting back from the temple. He wanted to learn everything about kitsune that he could, and then kept reading out of interest. "They were said to be particularly intolerant of arrogant humans, blasphemous men and women, and anyone who misuses power or knowledge for their own gain."

"They were also supposed to take action against anyone who disrupts Tengu-inhabited forests." Hinata tried to remember the stories that she had been told. "In some tales, they were said to pursue crooked monks, impious priests, and overly proud warriors." She looked over at Naruto.

"_What?" _Naruto made a face. He was proud. Not 'overly proud'. He sighed. It was difficult, being misunderstood. "They were also said to meddle in human political affairs in ancient times."

"They are excellent sword-smiths, and very skilled in martial arts." Kuko drummed her fingers on the table. She had barely escaped an encounter with a sword-wielding Tengu on her way to Konoha. "We're not equipped to fight that kind of battle. Our edge in magic can only go so far."

"I remember my mother telling me bedtime stories about yōkai and yūrei," Hinata said. "She told me that the Tengu are capricious creatures, who can be both benevolent and malicious. They enjoy playing pranks, like setting fires in front of temples; posing as human beings to dupe lost mountain travelers; or trapping people in illusions the way that kitsune do."

"Yes," Kuko said. "But don't make it sound like we have anything in common with those ugly brutes." She took out a comb and began working on her hair. "They are crow-headed and man-shaped. Their heads can be red, green, or black, and they have human ears and hair. Their beaks are lined with sharp teeth, and they have clawed, birdlike hands and feet. Feathers cover their wings, tails, and bodies." She made a face. "Some have extremely long noses." She smiled, looking down at Naruto's lap. "Their noses remind me of your…" She was interrupted.

"**Kuko!" **Hinata banged her spoon against the side of a large skillet, causing the kitsune to jump and tangle her comb painfully.

"Just be glad that _we_ were the first ones who came calling," Kuko said. "I can picture you with a Tengu female." She looked over at Hinata. "Can you imagine him taking turns sitting on a large egg?"

Hinata couldn't help but grin again. But, her face soon looked grim. She just realized that Naruto might have to go away to war again. Like the battle with the kappa, this could turn out to be something more dangerous than the kind of missions preformed against other nations and villages.

"Old Lady Tsunade might not even ask me this time," Naruto said, correctly interpreting his spouse's look. "She doesn't have to send her best shinobi every time you know." He tenderly pushed Hinata's hair out of her face.

"No arrogant warriors here," Kuko muttered under her breath.

"Maybe she'll send Choji," Naruto said, smirking. "He has a great liking for eggs. Right?" He was trying to lighten the mood. "Or Lee and Gai. The Tengu can't be more proud then they are. Maybe this time it will be a posing contest instead of cucumbers."

"It will be you," Hinata said. "Because of your relationship with the kitsune." She looked over at Kuko. "Tenko wouldn't ask for anyone else, _would_ she?"

"We'll keep him safe," Kuko promised. "You know that any one of us would die before letting any harm come to him." She meant Naruto, not Kyuubi. No other human had ever won that kind of boon from the fox women before. "He might be able to calm things down pretty quickly." She nodded to Naruto solemnly. "He's gaining quite a reputation amongst the kami and other creatures."

"If I go, I'll bring you back enough feathers to stuff our mattress," Naruto said. "And all of the kids' pillows." In a quieter voice, he said "I promise I'll be careful. I'm not as impulsive as I used to be, now that I have you and the children."

"I know," Hinata said, fighting back tears. "But…" She ran and grabbed him tightly. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

"You won't," Naruto said. "I once promised you that I would keep coming back. So, I don't have any choice. It's my Ninja Way."

"And, he has a lot of children to father," Kuko added helpfully. "So, there's no way we'll let him die any time soon."

After that, the three of them chatted about safer topics, sharing the things they had seen and done since the last time they all sat together in that kitchen. When it started to get dark, and the dinner was almost ready, there was a knock at the door.

"If that's Tenko and the other kitsune, tell them I have a headache!" Naruto said.

"It wasn't a kitsune. It was Sasuke, bringing the children home.

"**Oi! Sasuke!" **Naruto walked over and grabbed his friend's hand. "Sakura cooking tonight? You're welcome to stay and eat with us."

"Her cooking has improved," Sasuke said, sighing. "That's not the problem."

"Oh?" Hinata walked over, asking if Sasuke would like something to drink. "Something's wrong?" It was hard to tell that from their friend's face. Much of the time he seemed to be scowling. That was just his way.

"Your sons were playing Doctor with my eldest daughter." Sasuke said.

"Hey, that's only normal." Naruto scratched the back of his neck, wondering what the big deal was. "I mean, Sakura _is_ a medical ninja after all."

"No… I mean they were playing Doctor…" Sasuke noticed that Kuko and Hinata caught on immediately.

Naruto's eyes widened. He had finally figured out what Sasuke meant. "Well… I guess that is normal… the kind of thing that kids will do…" He swallowed hard. He knew how he would feel if he heard that one of Sasuke's sons had done that with Takara.

"I understand that." Sasuke frowned. "Sakura had a talk with the boys. You know how her talks go. I doubt they will be playing similar games any time soon."

"What else happened?" Hinata had gotten the feeling that there must be something more.

"The two girls… your daughters…" Sasuke looked over at Kuko. "They were running naked in the yard. They also ran up and down the street. I think they may have gone off alone to visit one of the candy shops."

"Still naked," Naruto said, face in his hands.

"Exactly," Sasuke said. "This is something that touches on Uchiha and Uzumaki honor."

"And you're telling me the other members of your kitsune family want children?" Naruto said to Kuko, leaving his face where it was. "And the same rules apply?"

"Yes," Kuko said, smiling.

"Maybe I _should _make an alliance with the Tengu." Naruto's voice was muffled. Hinata just shook her head and smiled.

It was business as usual in the Uzumaki household.


	17. finale

The forest was very quiet.

It was too quiet. There were no small animal noises.

Naruto stepped out into a clearing, looking around him, feeling the breeze pull at his hair and the lose ends of his robes. It was a wonderful and natural feeling, one he rarely took time to appreciate, now that his responsibilities included more than his own family.

"I know you're out there," the Sixth Hokage said. "I'm a busy man. You asked for a meeting, and I've kept it secret for your benefit. You _are_ the one in charge, aren't you? I hope you're not still somebody's lackey."

"You're still just an arrogant boy at heart, _aren't_ you?" The voice was familiar. "Arrogant and naïve, even after all these years." A man stepped out of the forest opposite from Naruto. His eyeglasses reflected the light of the midday sun. "Did you _really_ think that I would come here to negotiate? I fooled you as an idiot boy at the Chuunin exams. I tricked you once again, today." He raised his hand.

A dozen ninjas appeared at the fringe of the tallest trees. They had Naruto surrounded. Each of them wore the colors and forehead protectors of the Hidden Cloud village. By their appearance, all would be jounins or special jounins. They were the very best that the Lightning Country had at its disposal.

"Maybe you did," Naruto said. He didn't seem too surprised. That fact did not sit well with Yakushi Kabuto. "No doubt you believe you have the Raikage twisted around your finger, and maybe you think you can take his place as the top dog in Kumogakure if you kill me here today." He thumbed his nose at his long time adversary. "I did you a favor when I helped get rid of Orochimaru, and when I played a role in the downfall of Akatsuki. You were playing a dangerous game there."

"It's what I do well," Kabuto said, a touch of pride in his voice. "I had one of the legendary Sannin thinking he knew everything I was doing. I had an organization of the world's deadliest criminals fooled. Those were difficult games to play. This is much easier, since my opponent is so simple minded."

"I am?" Naruto shrugged. "You may be right. Then again, I've tripped you up before, haven't I?" He made it a point to finger the First Hokage's necklace. "Who was it that stopped you and Orochimaru from getting what you wanted from Tsunade?"

"You will be taking such quaint memories to the grave with you, I'm afraid." Kabuto smiled. He took out a whistle and blew on it. Twelve more ninjas appeared. These wore the equipment of the Sound. All were superior to the Sound Five that the Rookies had faced when Sasuke went to join Orochimaru. "Your death will serve a number of purposes. It will weaken your village, and destroy the alliance you've been able to hold with Grass, Rain, and Earth. It will make me the de facto power behind the Raikage. And, it will make me the Otokage, with the resources to have that title finally recognized by the other villages."

"Sounds like a pretty good plan," Naruto said. "You always _were_ a sneaky bastard. Oh. Before I forget. Were you Orochimaru's love slave? A number of people always wondered that. You kind of have the look about you."

"Still making stupid jokes, even at the end." Kabuto bit his words off angrily. "I wouldn't expect anything less of you. Just like I knew you would keep your word, if I could get you to give it. That's why someone like me, who is not afraid to break the rules, will always be able to defeat someone like you."

"Blah blah blah," Naruto said, yawning. "Yada yada yada. Do you mind if we finish things up quickly here? My wife will kill me if I keep the kids away from home for too long."

"_Kids?" _Kabuto made a face. "What are you talking about."

"Children," Naruto said, sounding like he was talking to an idiot. "Offspring. Little one. You know… kids…" He smiled. "The things you get when you have sex with women instead of men."

"I _know_ what children are!" Kabuto clenched his fists, willing himself to remain calm. He must not show any sign of weakness in front of the men he had chosen. "And I have more than my fair share of women."

"The kind you blow up?" Naruto smiled. "The inflatable kind… the ones that don't laugh when they see your… you know…" He laced his fingers together and cracked his knuckles, as if he didn't have a care in the world. "That probably wouldn't cut it, though. They couldn't nag you the way Orochimaru did."

"Listen up everyone," Kabuto called out to his men. "Mark the final words of the Hidden Leaf village's greatest Hokage. Impressive, aren't they!"

"While you're at it, enjoy the last words you will ever hear," Naruto called out to the same men, making it a point to wave to each of the enemy ninjas he had spotted. "Your time in this world has come to an end." He turned back to his old adversary. "We were talking about children. I think it's time that I introduce you to mine."

"What do you mean?" Kabuto looked around him. "Just what kind of nonsense are you babbling about now?"

"I never promised that I would come alone," Naruto said. "I just gave you my word that I would not bring any of my underlings with me. I didn't. I brought my family." He knew it was possible point of contention. But, he didn't consider his children to be his underlings. He whistled loud and long.

"Do you think we have anything to fear from children?" Kabuto shook his head, smirking. "Any handful of children you might have had with that worthless girl won't amount to much, even if they all have the full Hyuuga talents."

"You really need to keep up on things," Naruto said, smiling. The first of his children had made their ways to the edge of the clearing. He knew that the ones with kitsune mothers were communicating telepathically, passing hand signals to his children with Hinata. "I have a rather unique home life. I'm surprised that your spies haven't picked up on something as noteworthy as that."

"I am much more interested in the number of shinobi the Fire Country has," Kabuto said with a contemptuous wave of his hand. "Why should I pay any attention to the sordid details of your pathetic life? You can cavort with foxes all you want. I suppose that's the best you can do, seeing that you have the Kyuubi trapped inside of you."

"You were right father," Toukon said, walking up as if he didn't have any concern about the ninjas from the Cloud and the Sound. "He really _is _a blowhard."

"And a choice asshole," Shinrin said, joining his half-brother.

"You two behave," Takara said. "Mother told us we should always be polite." She winked at her father. "Even to rat bastards."

"None of our mothers are here now," Yama said.

"You're right," Takara said. "Say whatever you like, then. I won't tell." She took out some string and began making a cat's cradle.

"No doubt these little cretins belong to you," Kabuto said, making a number of hand motions of his own. "I can see the resemblance. The world will be a much better place without them." He watched as more youths walked over to join Naruto.

"Tsk… Tsk… Tsk…" Tani sighed. "Such a sad little man."

"Rude, too." Sora brushed some dust off of her sleeve.

"**LET'S GIVE HIM THE UZUMAKI FAMILY SALUTE!"**

Naruto's shout brought an immediate response. Each of his children, from the oldest to the youngest, followed his lead. They all gave Kabuto the finger. That had their enemy clenching his teeth and calling out the signal to attack.

Everything took place in a blur after that. Naruto's children were all very talented, thanks in some unknown fashion to Kyuubi, who was mortified to know that he had been helpful. Prodigies, most of them would be accepted into one of the village's ANBU squads, had their parents allowed it.

The Uzumaki family was more than skilled. It was also very large. Over the years, before Hinata finally had her fill of childbirth, he had amassed quite a brood. It helped that the Nine Tail's presence always led to multiple births. With Kuko, he had two human sons, two kitsune sons, and two kitsune daughters. With Tenko, he had two kitsune sons and two kitsune daughters. With Shakko, he had two human sons and two kitsune daughters. With Nogitsne, he had two human daughters and two kitsune daughters. With Genko, he had two human sons and two kitsune daughters. With Koryu, he had a human son, a human daughter, and two kitsune daughters. With Kiko, he had two human sons and two kitsune daughters. That was in addition to the four sons and four daughters that he had with Hinata.

Life had become very hectic when all of the kitsune children had decided to live in Konoha, even though their mothers kept to the forests and mountains. But, on days like this, the joy of family took on a whole new meaning.

"If you think there's a lot of them now…" Naruto squared of with a rather shocked looking Kabuto. "Just watch." He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted:

"_**KAGE BUNSHIN!"**_

Suddenly, as far as the eye could see, the clearing and the surrounding woodlands appeared to be filled with clones.

"Man… you should see what meals are like…" Naruto smiled, despite the gravity of the situation. The enemy was outnumbered and outclassed. He called out one final time:

"**GIVE'M HELL, KIDS!"**

It was a very bad day for the Cloud and the Sound.


End file.
